Peredhel
by Epilachna
Summary: A half-elven child finds safety and acceptance in Imladris, Elrond suffers the lonliness of being peredhel, and Erestor relives a nightmare from his past. Rivendell and Lothlorien elves will appear. Some cliche breaking within.
1. The darkening wood

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work. _

**Prologue**

_Mirkwood was once a beautiful realm. The elves who lived there still thought her beautiful, but in their hearts they could feel the darkness kept tenuously at bay. From where this darkness came, none could tell for certain. Did it come from the Necromancer in the south? From the shadowy creatures of the old world that haunted the northern borders? Or perhaps from the men who lived on the edges of the elven lands? No elf would dare believe that they, too, could bring evil to this wood. For were they not the Firstborn? Dark elves to be sure, but even their shimmering forms echoed the light of Ithil – a light brighter than any that shone on this Earth. But darkness comes from all places in this land and though the Firstborn would shake their heads at the thought – they too planted seeds of evil here._

_In the northern watches of the kingdom a young elf child walked. At least, if a man had seen her walking he'd have thought her so. Her ears were delicately pointed, her long hair a deep soft sheen of brown waves, her skin glowed flawlessly and she danced and sang ancient tunes in languages few mortals cared to learn. The elves, however, did not see an elven child. When they looked upon the dancing form they saw a creature whose ears were far too rounded, whose hair was the color of mud, whose skin held countless imperfections and whose voice was offensive to their ears. Even her graceful, flowing movements were not graceful enough. From two hundred paces they could watch the figure and know that she was not one of their own._

_Eruanna had just recently celebrated her seventy-third begetting day, although celebrate is far too joyous a word to describe the day's events. She visited her mother's grave with her grandparents and laid flowers atop the elegantly carved stone. It was a mournful tradition that perhaps her elders may have thought better of if they had not suffered such grief at their daughter's passing. Ithilwen and Haldor marked Eruanna's begetting day as the day their daughter died, although in truth she lasted many months longer, long enough to bring Eruanna into the world. Irimë held on to life long enough to hold her daughter in her arms but faded soon after in misery and despair. There were many in the woods who whispered that it would have been better had she faded before Eruanna was born, but none spoke such things in front of Irimë's parents._

_Ithilwen and Haldor raised their young granddaughter with much love but they too were guilty of harsh words now and again when Eruanna did not do as an elven child should. The couple was most disturbed by the speed with which their child grew. She was fully mature in less than forty years, decades before an elven child reached maturity and although she was still so very young by the measure of her kin, her eyes were more aged than any elleth of equal years. She was a merging of the First and Secondborn, and so her way was often curious to those around her._

_The elves of Mirkwood had long held the word peredhel as a curse reserved for Elrond. The animosity between the King and the Noldo Lord was no secret. Thranduil had long ago infected his people with disdain for the half-elf whom he'd held responsible for his father's death and the death of so many of his people. It had been long years since the days of the Last Alliance but the memory of the elves was eternal. And so Eruanna walked alone in Thranduil's realm an outcast, an echo of the Lord of Imladris, punished by the people in his stead._

_If the elves of Mirkwood had merely ignored the half-elven child, perhaps this tale would end here – but it does not. Ignored she was, in truth, by most who came across her path, but not by all. We must remember now the terrible truth about the elves. Though they walk with an air of righteousness they are not immune to hate or fear. The sons of Feänor and the great Noldo himself, and Maeglin and his father Eöl proved that darkness can dwell in the heart of the Firstborn, from greed or pride or hate it can be born, and born it was in the hearts of some who came across Eruanna's path._

_In her early years, Eruanna passed much time alone as there were few elflings her age and most were not permitted to play with her. The few playmates she possessed she quickly outgrew and though by count of years they were the same age, the elven children still possessed the form and disposition of youth while Eruanna no longer resembled a child. It was then that she found herself truly alone and her grandparents were forced to tell her the terrible truth of her birth. Eruanna ran into the woods that night and wept cradled in the branches of her favorite tree. It was her mortal blood that kept the sadness from dragging her down her mother's path. She was not an elf and so could not fade from her grief._

_In the years that followed, Eruanna remained strong and possessed of a deep well of happiness drawn from the beauty that surrounded her, but her contentment in the darkening woods would not last._

**Chapter 1 – The darkening wood **

**Third Age 2550**

One bright and sunny day Eruanna wandered along the banks of the River Running singing to the trees that guarded its shore, oblivious to the fact that she was being watched. The Mirkwood wardens were well trained and Eruanna's senses were not sensitive enough to detect the movement of the three ellyn observing her. She released a startled cry when one of the wardens leapt out of the tree, landing in her path.

"Suilaid, lovely one," the warden smiled down at the young elleth who stood shorter than any elf maid in the realm but still taller than any mortal woman.

Eruanna was forced to catch her breath from the sudden appearance of the strange ellon. "Were you trying to scare me to death, jumping out of a tree like that?" she accused. "Did your parents teach you no manners?"

"They taught him," a voice sounded from behind her, "he just never listened." Eruanna turned slightly to see two more wardens appear from the treeline along the stream.

"Perhaps you should remind him," Eruanna addressed the second ellon angrily.

"What were you singing?" The third ellon looked at her, an odd expression on his face, "I seem to remember the tune."

"It is a child's song," she answered him but was interrupted before she could continue.

"A child's song," the first ellon laughed. "Are you not too old to be singing children's songs?"

Eruanna considered his question before answering. "I don't think so. I have only just celebrated my seventy-third year."

The expression on the ellon's face changed from one of light humor to sharp appraisal. "You are the peredhel they say lives in these parts," he studied her carefully, "that explains much."

Eruanna was confused by the shift in his demeanor and by his strange comment. "Explains what?"

The second ellon laughed. "Why your singing is so terrible." His laughter was joined by that of the first ellon.

Eruanna found her heart constricting at the sound of their laughter. She loved singing ever since she was a tiny child. She and Ithilwen would sing while they cooked and worked in the garden. Eruanna knew her voice was not as sweet as her grandmother's but she'd never before thought it offensive. She turned and ran from the sound of their laughter as the tears began flowing down her cheeks. She wished to never see the three Mirkwood guardians or hear their laughter again.

If she had gotten her wish, her story would end here.


	2. A new home

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 2- A new home**

**Third Age 2552**

Elrond sat in his study surrounded by piles of paper. He'd gotten through only half of the first stack when he heard a quiet knock at his door. He sighed. _At this rate I'll never get any of this work done. _

"Come" he called, not bothering to lift his head to look at the door. He recognized the footsteps of his trusted advisor, Erestor, but not those of the ellon who followed him. He looked up to see a young herald trailing the counselor.

"A messenger has arrived from Mirkwood, my Lord." Erestor glanced back at the young ellon. "His instructions were to give the letter to no one but you." The counselor sounded slightly annoyed though no one but Elrond would have noticed.

The young elf bowed politely and walked toward the desk where Elrond was seated. He handed Elrond a scroll bearing the seal of Thranduil himself. "I am Glandur of Mirkwood, I bring a message to you, Lord Elrond of Imladris, from King Thranduil of Mirkwood," the messenger stated formally.

Elrond took the scroll in hand and addressed the young ellon. "Thank you for delivering it to me." He looked to his advisor, "Please see to it that our visitor is given food and a place to rest. He has traveled far." Elrond smiled politely at the young ellon and the elf lord raised a hand dismissing him.

Elrond carefully unrolled the scroll the young messenger handed him. There were actually two letters contained within; one from the King and a second folded letter that Elrond placed on the desk. Elrond turned his attention to the letter written in the majestic handwriting of the Lord of Mirkwood. It had been many years since Elrond had heard directly from the King. Thranduil was not one to write casual correspondence, especially not to Elrond. Most of the correspondence for day-to-day concerns between the two realms was carried out by each Lord's trusted counselors. Elrond realized the message must contain a matter of some importance for Thranduil to have written him at all. Intrigued, he quickly read the letter from Thranduil and then the second letter he'd placed on his desk. After some minutes he laid both letters down and reached for the glass of wine he'd poured himself hours earlier.

Leaning back in his chair Elrond stared out the window overlooking the gardens. The spring ephemerals were beginning to bloom and he sat gazing out upon their beauty for some time. It would seem to any casual observer that Elrond had fallen asleep or had been awestruck at the sight of the garden's loveliness- staring out the window as he was, but the Lord of Imladris could not see the elanor. He was deep in thought. A quiet sigh escaped his lips and he tucked the letters into the top drawer of his desk. _My response can wait a day, I must think on this further_. And with that, the Lord of Imladris continued on with his daily routine, his mind never fully on the tasks at hand. Elrond could not forget the words contained in those letters or how they might change life in the Last Homely House forever.

* * *

A group made its way to the gates of Imladris. They'd encountered scouts guarding the borders of the land and were now being escorted to the House of Elrond. For a group that had traveled so far and long, they looked as radiant as any beings that had ever walked Middle Earth. Each member of the party was dressed in fine robes and cloaks embroidered with beautiful silver thread. The road between Mirkwood and Imladris was hard but none would have known it by looking at the assembled party. Thirty or so elves walked steadily into the courtyard and were greeted by Lord Elrond and the members of his house. A messenger had been sent ahead to inform Lord Elrond of their arrival and he waited on the veranda to greet them. Most of the group would be staying for only a few days before heading on to the Grey Havens and from there, to Valinor.

Elrond stood majestic and lordly surrounded by his sons Elladan and Elrohir, and his daughter Arwen. Others of his household had also gathered to greet the Mirkwood elves- Glorfindel the Balrog slayer of great legend, his high counselor Erestor, and others. It had been long years since any from Mirkwood had visited these lands.

Elrond's eyes swept over the newcomers trying to spot the child Thranduil wrote to him about. He spotted her as she entered the gates; her arm entwined with an ellon of great stature. Elrond immediately noted the similarities in their features and surmised that the ellon was Haldor, her grandfather. It was, as Elrond understood it, his idea that his granddaughter should come to live in the Last Homely House. The urgency of Haldor's request disturbed Elrond. Haldor wanted his granddaughter to leave Mirkwood quickly, but would not tell Elrond why. Elrond could guess, of course, knowing Thranduil's distain for him personally, and the rude treatment of his sons when he'd sent them as messengers to Mirkwood. Greenwood the Great was no place for the half elven and so Elrond granted the ellon's request to bring his granddaughter to Rivendell.

"Le suilon." Elrond nodded to the newcomers. "Welcome to Imladris. I pray you have all had a safe journey. We have prepared rooms for you to refresh yourselves and a meal honoring your arrival. If you will permit it, members of my house will show you to your rooms where you may rest before the evening meal."

The crowd bowed and words of thanks were given to the elf Lord. Most of them had never seen the peredhel before and so were curious as to how he would greet them. They were pleased by his kind words and hospitality. Within minutes most of the assembly had made their way out of the courtyard, only Haldor and his granddaughter remained. Haldor walked to Elrond, leading the young elleth along by her arm.

"Lord Elrond," Haldor bowed respectfully and the elleth curtseyed.

"Haldor," Elrond nodded. "So good we finally meet in person, and this must be your granddaughter." He looked to the young elleth on his arm who did not meet his eyes.

Elrond noted the child's nervousness and the way her eyes darted around the courtyard falling briefly on his daughter and sons.

"Yes," Haldor smiled, "this is Eruanna."

"I have prepared rooms for you both in the west wing as I realize you will be staying quite longer than the others," he smiled at the quiet elleth who did not return the gesture. "My daughter will show you the way."

"I thank you, Lord," Haldor bowed to Arwen as she came to stand with them.

"Hello, Eruanna, I am Arwen," she smiled at the young elleth.

Eruanna looked upon the face of the beautiful elleth but did not smile. "I am pleased to meet you, Lady."

Haldor looked to Elrond. "I was hoping, Lord, that I might have a word with you, when convenient," he glanced down at his granddaughter.

Elrond hoped this meant the ellon was finally going to tell him the truth about why Eruanna left Mirkwood. "I am free now, if you are not too tired," he turned to his daughter, "Arwen, why don't you show Eruanna to her rooms. I'm sure she could use a bath and some rest."

Eruanna looked to her grandfather fearfully. The ellon patted her hand gently and nodded his head. Eruanna released her hold on her grandfather's arm. Arwen took the young elleth's hand and smiled. "Come child, your grandfather will return to you shortly." Arwen nodded to the two ellyn as she led Eruanna away.

"My study is this way," Elrond gestured for the other to follow. The two ellyn walked silently along the halls toward Elrond's private rooms. He could not help but notice the ellon's unease. Upon entering Elrond motioned for the ellon to take a seat near the hearth.

"Would you care for a drink, Haldor?" Elrond moved to pour himself a glass of wine.

"Yes, thank you."

Elrond handed him a goblet and sat down in the chair facing his. Elrond sipped from his glass waiting patiently for Haldor to speak.

"I…I don't know where to start." The ellon looked down at his glass, unable to meet the elf Lord's eyes. "It began about two years ago…."


	3. Wild berry pie

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 3- Wild berry pie**

**Third Age 2550**

Eruanna hummed to herself while picking wild berries in the woods. Ithilwen had sent her on this errand as a surprise for Haldor. He was due to return home from the court of Thranduil where he spent much time as a military advisor but had, in more recent years, limited his involvement in favor of raising his granddaughter. Haldor simply adored his wife's wild berry pie and so she and Eruanna decided to make him the treat to welcome him home. Eruanna was so looking forward to Haldor's return and the chance to make something special for him that she shot out the door, nearly forgetting her basket as she went. Eruanna looked down at her basket; it was nearly half full. She tried her best not to eat too many as she collected the lovely ripe fruits from the bushes that grew near her home. She continued humming the little tune as she worked.

It had been weeks since the last time Eruanna sang. She would work quietly beside her grandmother, listening to the elleth's beautiful voice. The more she listened, the more she realized how truly terrible her own singing was. Not wishing to ruin the lovely sounds her grandmother made she stopped joining in Ithilwen's songs.

One afternoon, her grandmother confronted her about her silence.

"What is wrong child? Why do you not sing with me?"

"I don't like singing anymore," was the elleth's quiet reply.

"Not like singing!" Ithilwen exclaimed in surprise. "I have never known a child who loved singing more than you." Ithilwen studied Eruanna carefully.

"Perhaps I am not a child any longer." The words came out of Eruanna's mouth painfully, knowing that a true elf would still _be_ a child for many years to come.

Ithilwen smiled at her granddaughter and embraced her tightly. "I forget sometimes," she paused, "will you permit me to sing to you, still?" she asked the young elleth.

"Of course, grandmother." Eruanna loved Ithilwen's voice and if she herself could not sing, at least she would have the beautiful voice of her grandmother to sing for her.

Eruanna continued picking berries until she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. An ellon stood, leaning against a tree trunk, watching her. It was the same ellon who weeks earlier had frightened her by jumping out of a tree. She met his gaze evenly, pushing down the memory of his laughter.

"You're not very observant, are you?" the ellon stated flatly.

Eruanna felt anger rise in her throat at the elf's haughty words. She made no reply but continued picking berries.

"I'm surprised you haven't been eaten by orcs or spiders yet," he continued, watching her.

Eruanna looked him in the eye and spit the words, "I see your manners haven't improved." She continued picking berries.

The ellon smiled. "Forgive my rudeness, I should introduce myself. My name is Feredir. My brothers and I have been rotated to the eastern borders for the next several years."

Eruanna's heart sank, she had hoped she'd never see the three terrible ellyn again, but it seems they would be in the region for some time. She made no reply but turned back to her work.

"And your name? I have given you mine," he walked silently toward the bush where she was collecting the berries.

Eruanna lifted her head to find that the ellon had moved to the other side of the shrub. She did not wish to tell him her name but her good manners would not permit her to remain silent. "My name is Eruanna."

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow at her, skeptically. "You don't appear very graceful to me."

Eruanna's head shot up at the rude remark. She wondered briefly if the ellon had intended to insult her or if he knew not how his words stung. It was then she remembered that to join the warden ranks an elf needed to be over 500 years old and most were far older. It was not possible for an elf to live so long and be oblivious to the impact of his words.

"I must be going now." Eruanna wanted nothing more than to escape the arrogant ellon but he moved to block her path.

"May I have some?" he gestured to the basket of berries.

Eruanna glanced back at the shrub she had just picked the berries from. There were plenty more on the plant. "These are for my grandfather's pie, pick your own." She moved to go round him but he matched her movement and would not let her pass.

"But I want those," he said, looking at the basket.

Eruanna's frustration was beginning to get the better of her. "I don't care what you want," she snapped, "now get out of my way."

The ellon stepped aside. She moved to rush past him and would have made a clean getaway if the warden had not extended his foot to trip her. Eruanna fell hard on the ground. She heard a snapping sound in her wrist and her basket of berries tumbled to the ground. Eruanna clasped her wrist in her hand and watched as the ellon's boot came down on the scattered pile of berries.

Feredir laughed at the squishing sound the berries made as he ground them underfoot. "I guess you won't be getting any either." The warden looked back over his shoulder seconds before Eruanna heard the sound of two more ellyn approaching.

"Feredir, where are you?" a voice called out.

"Over here Sadron," the ellon called back to his brother.

Eruanna climbed to her feet holding her right arm against her chest staring down at the ruined berries.

Sadron entered the grove and took in the scene before him. "What happened?"

Feredir shrugged his shoulders. "She tripped over a root, the child is very clumsy," he smiled at Sadron, who laughed.

"Stop laughing. It isn't funny." The third brother moved to pick up the fallen basket and handed it to Eruanna.

"Oh come on, Maeron, it is so funny," Sadron covered his mouth with his hand chuckling.

Feredir looked down at the mess on the forest floor and then back at the elleth. He spoke in a condescending tone. "You should be more careful next time. Now your grandfather has no berries for his pie."

Eruanna looked at the berries smashed into the dirt and back up at the warden's smiling face. She turned and ran once more from the ellon and could hear the echoes of his laughter following her home.

Eruanna returned home empty handed late that afternoon.

"Where have you been, child, it is getting late." Ithilwen did not bother to turn to the door as her granddaughter entered. "Put the berries on the table."

"I…I don't have them," Eruanna answered quietly.

"What do you mean you don't have them?" The elleth exclaimed rounding on Eruanna. The elleth's expression changed as she took in the sight of her granddaughter. The young elleth's dress was covered in patches of mud and grass stains and she clutched her arm to her chest.

"Eruanna," she walked swiftly to the child's side, "what happened dear?"

"I tripped," she hung her head in guilt for the lie she was about to tell, "over a root."


	4. A great responsibility

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 4 – A great responsibility**

**Third Age 2552**

It would be an understatement to say that Elrond was disturbed by the story Haldor shared with him. The Lord of Imladris had lived many ages and seen many things but Haldor's words made his blood run cold. The tale brought back terrible memories from Elrond's youth of hate and fear, of elf turning against elf.

Elrond's silent contemplation was interrupted by a soft knock at his door. "Come in."

The door opened and Arwen entered his study. Elrond's countenance did not brighten as it normally did at the sight of his youngest and dearest child. She walked to his side and when she reached him he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

Arwen returned her father's embrace, concerned by its intensity. "Adar, what is wrong?" she asked softly, her head resting on his chest.

Elrond looked down into his daughter's eyes. The tiny traces of her mortal heritage were barely visible in her lovely face. The elves of Imladris saw her as one of their own and Elrond was grateful for that fact. No one in this realm _or_her mother's would let harm come to the Evenstar.

"Ada," she pulled away from his embrace, "tell me what is bothering you."

Elrond lifted a hand to brush a strand of hair over Arwen's shoulder. "I was just thinking…it is nothing for you to be concerned with."

"No," she raised an eyebrow at him, "then why have you sent for me?" Arwen took a seat in her favorite chair by the fire waiting for her father's response.

Elrond sat in the chair beside his daughter. "I was hoping you would take on an important responsibility for me, Arwen. Haldor will be returning to Mirkwood soon. Someone will need to be responsible for watching over Eruanna, for seeing to her education. If your mother were here…."

Elrond found himself unable to complete that thought. He closed his eyes and felt a small hand on his arm, offering him strength. It had been only mere decades since his wife had passed over the sea. The soothing presence of his daughter allowed him the strength to go on. "If your mother were here I know she would have seen to the child's care. I was hoping you would take on this great responsibility in her stead." Elrond looked to his daughter watching her lips curl into a smile.

"Ada, I'll be happy to help you both," Arwen smiled brightly. She was truly pleased to be given such an important task. She felt a deep well of concern for the young elleth and wished to help the child find happiness in Imladris.

"It is an enormous responsibility, the care of a young one," Elrond's expression turned serious. "You and your brothers were not always so _pleasant_ to deal with."

Arwen laughed, "My brothers are still not pleasant to deal with!"

Elrond smiled inwardly at the joke Arwen made at her brothers' expense. "Yes, yes, they can be difficult sometimes, but that is part of their charm." Elrond found his daughter's humor infectious and could not help a small smile. "But truthfully, Arwen, I fear we may have much damage to undo before the child finds peace here."

Elrond found he could not tell Arwen what it was that brought Eruanna here, not yet. If in time it became necessary he would inform her, but right now he hoped he would not need to repeat that story. "She was not treated well by some of the elves in Mirkwood; we must help her feel safe here."

"Of course, adar."

* * *

Haldor and Eruanna embraced tightly in the courtyard where weeks earlier they had first met the Lord of Imladris. The pair was teary eyed as they said their goodbyes to one another. Haldor stayed as long as he could to ensure Eruanna was comfortable in her new home, but he knew this moment would inevitably come. As deep as his sadness ran at the loss of his granddaughter, some happiness blossomed in his heart. Haldor knew that in this place, with the Peredhel and his children, Eruanna would be understood; she would never be hated or feared. 

Haldor released his hold on the tiny elleth and lifted her moist chin so he could see her eyes. "Now remember Eruanna, listen to Lady Arwen, I leave you in her care. Remember your manners; we don't want the House of Elrond thinking your grandmother did not know how to raise you properly."

Eruanna smiled at his words. Her grandmother had often said the same thing to her when they would go visiting friends and relatives. Eruanna would not let her grandparents down again. "I will remember grandfather, you will be proud of me."

"I am proud of you, child," Haldor hugged her once more and laid a kiss on the top of her head. He moved then to say his farewells to Lady Arwen and Lord Elrond.

He bowed to Arwen who reached out a hand to grasp his arm. "I leave her to you, Lady."

Arwen smiled, "I promise you Haldor your granddaughter will find happiness here. I will see to it." She laid a kiss on the ellon's cheek.

"Thank you, my Lady," Haldor bowed once more before turning to face Elrond.

"I do not know how to thank you, Lord Elrond. All that I have, anything you would ask of me, I would gladly do in return for your kindness." Haldor bowed low.

"Haldor," Elrond clasped the man's arm in friendship. "You owe me no debt. What would I be if I denied protection to my own kind? I know too well the difficulties the peredhil face. I will protect her, always."

Haldor found himself incapable of speech. The millennia of lies he'd been told about the being that stood before him washed away with his words. The Mirkwood elf had never met a more generous soul than Elrond. "Thank you," was all he was able to say before turning away. He hugged his granddaughter one last time before mounting his horse and turning the animal toward the trail that led them home.

Eruanna wiped the tears from her face as she followed the retreating form as far as her eyes could see him. When her grandfather passed out of her sight she turned towards the garden.

"Eruanna," Arwen called after her.

The elleth turned to her new guardians, "I…I'd like to be alone, if that's alright" she said quietly.

"Of course," Arwen responded, "I will call for you when dinner is ready."

"Thank you," Eruanna mumbled as she passed the trellis that led into the gardens.

Eruanna wandered for more than an hour through the maze of flowers that made up the house's gardens. It was not like the woods that surrounded her childhood home but the garden was certainly large enough to lose oneself in. She found a small glade with a large shade tree and sat herself between its large bulbous roots. The tree cradled her easily and it seemed as though the grass and the flowers and the tree as well, whispered for her to rest among them, assuring her that the garden would protect her. Eruanna yawned, she'd been unable to sleep the previous few nights with the knowledge that Haldor was leaving. She missed him already. Resting her head on the soft mossy trunk, she drifted off to sleep in the mortal fashion, her eyes closed- another reminder that she did not belong.

* * *

Lord Glorfindel walked swiftly along the paths of the garden looking for the missing child. She did not come to supper at the ringing of the dinner bell and when Lady Arwen called out to her across the gardens, there was no reply. 

That is how Glorfindel had first encountered the Evenstar, her voice raised in panic.

"You must help me find her Glorfindel. What if she is injured? I should never have let her go into the garden alone." Arwen was on the verge of panic. Not hours had past since taking on the charge of guardian to the young elleth and already Arwen had lost her.

"Calm yourself, Arwen. We will find her. I will take the northern paths and you the southern." Glorfindel laid a reassuring hand on Arwen's shoulder.

Glorfindel was forced to smile as he left Arwen to search the garden. It had been many, many years since he'd been called upon to hunt down a wayward elfling. Lucky for Arwen, the elven Lord had an excellent memory for the children's hiding places and was certain that they would find the child in one of Elladan's, Elrohir's or Arwen's secret hideaways. That was why he sent Arwen to search the southern paths, remembering her fondness for that part of the garden.

Glorfindel spotted the child curled up against a mossy tree trunk. Her eyes were closed in sleep. It had been a few years since Glorfindel had been witness to this peculiar behavior. The last time had been during the journey to the Gray Havens with Celebrian. Glorfindel was always slightly disturbed at how his friend's eyes would close in sleep. Elrond assured him it was normal and that men slept with their eyes closed all the time. Glorfindel was forced to take Elrond's word as truth since he himself had never seen a mortal sleep. Seeing the child's slow and steady breathing, Glorfindel was forced to accept the fact that his friend had spoken true and that perhaps this method of sleeping was not so uncommon in Middle Earth.

Glorfindel walked silently toward the elleth's resting place. His footsteps were not quieted intentionally but rather were silent by the elf's nature and through years of training. If the elf Lord had thought better of it, he might have made some noise as he approached the sleeping elleth.

Glorfindel crouched down beside the child and laid a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. "Child, you must wake now."

Eruanna stirred at the movement and the sound of a deep male voice. Her eyes fluttered open and rested on the face of a large blond ellon crouched beside her. "Mae govannen, little one."

A wave of panic shot through Eruanna's not quite conscious form. She sat up quickly and pushing herself backwards, away from the ellon, struck the back of her head on the tree's enormous trunk.

Glorfindel backed away at the child's sudden and unexpected response to his presence. He watched as her breathing slowed and her eyes focused on him. She seemed to remember his face and he saw her neck flush from embarrassment.

"Lord Glorfindel," she said, more to convince _herself_ of his identity than as an acknowledgement to him. "I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. I was the one who startled you, remember." He moved a bit closer to the child noting the increase in her heart rate as he did. "You hit your head, are you injured?" He reached out to touch her head but the child flinched as if in fear of being struck.

Glorfindel withdrew his hand and studied the strange elleth before him. The truth was, he new next to nothing about the peredhel that Elrond welcomed into his home not five weeks ago. He decided it would be best if he found Arwen, rather than frightening the child further.

"Stay here child. I will go find Arwen-she is looking for you in the southern part of the garden." Glorfindel watched her nod her understanding. He stood swiftly and took off in search of the Lady.

Glorfindel found Arwen and moved quickly to her side. "I have found her, come," he led her steadily to the place where the elleth waited.

"Is she alright?" Arwen's concern was evident in her voice and expression, but the elven Lord was not certain how to answer.

"She was sleeping when I came upon her," was his reply. When they came closer to where Glorfindel had left the child, he halted in his tracks. Arwen turned to see his concerned face staring down the path ahead of them.

"What is wrong?" Arwen asked.

He looked down at the elf maiden unsure of what to tell her. "I do not think I should come with you."

"Why?" Arwen grasped his hand urging him to speak.

"She was afraid of me," he paused remembering the elleth's strange behavior. "When I woke her, she was afraid."

Arwen shook her head. "She is new to this land. It is only to be expected that she should not feel entirely at ease." She smiled up at the older elf, "Besides, your mean face could frighten anyone."

Glorfindel shook his head, ignoring Arwen's stab at humor. "No Arwen, she did not see me when she awoke," he looked at Arwen with an expression demanding her understanding, "she saw another…and she was afraid."


	5. The hunter

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 5-The hunter**

**Third Age 2551**

Eruanna walked along the woodland path that led to the lake. Her grandmother asked her to catch a fish for their evening meal so Eruanna had a small bucket of supplies and her fishing pole in hand. There was a time she enjoyed fishing, a time she relished wandering the woods near her home, but no more. The open air would call to her as she sat on her bed, staring out the window, but something more powerful kept her indoors.

Eruanna dreaded coming across Feredir. In the past year he'd made it a point to humiliate her whenever the opportunity arose, making cruel comments about her to the other wardens just within earshot. Some of them would ignore his words but others would laugh along with him. And though those moments were terrible, the groups of laughing ellyn were preferable to encountering Feredir alone. The ellon would appear in her path unexpectedly, dropping out of trees to frighten her and sometimes worse.

Eruanna sat on a tree trunk overlooking the lake. There was a gentle breeze blowing across the water and the sun's rays smiled down upon her. Eruanna was pulling the hook out of her first catch's mouth when she heard a loud chuckle from the trees behind her. Eruanna dropped the fish and it fell back into the water.

"Looks like you lost your catch," came a familiar male voice. Feredir appeared from the tree line followed by Sadron.

"You've been hiding from us, haven't you?" Feredir asked as he sat down on the log beside Eruanna.

Eruanna continued baiting her hook attempting to push down the anger Feredir stirred within her.

Feredir smiled at the elleth, watching her trembling hands work the hook. "Did you think we'd be unable to find you? You _are_ the only elf in this land that leaves tracks." He laughed then, looking back at his brother. "We can find you anywhere."

"How fortunate," Eruanna muttered, casting the line back into the water. What she wanted to do was get up from her place on the log and run. She'd learned the hard way it was better to stay put than to try and escape Feredir's harassment. That was how she'd broken her ankle…tripping over another _root_.

"Sadron and I have been talking," Feredir acknowledged his brother with a nod, "and we've decided you're really not as ugly as we first thought."

Eruanna looked up at Feredir and back at Sadron who stood a few feet away. "Really?" Eruanna tried not to let the ellon's words affect her but she could not help but find them upsetting. Somehow the ellon was able to make her feel so small with merely a few well chosen words.

Feredir continued, watching the elleth's face carefully for her reaction. "Your face is quite unique. I wonder what your mother looked like." He lifted his hand to her face and ran his fingers along her jaw.

"Don't touch me!" Eruanna shouted at the warden, dropping her pole. She stood and tried to put more distance between herself and the ellon but his hand clamped down on her arm, keeping her in place.

"Why? Don't you like me?" Feredir raised an eyebrow at the elleth struggling in his grip.

"No. I don't. Let go of me!" Eruanna's voice rose in panic. She pulled with all her might to break the warden's grip but there was no need. He released her and she fell backward and would have hit the ground if Sadron had not been standing behind her. Sadron caught Eruanna as she fell. He lifted her by her upper arms but did not release her.

"Careful, little one," he spoke into her ear, "you wouldn't want to injure yourself again."

Eruanna's anger at the ellyn was slowly being drowned by fear. "Let go of me." She could not keep the desperation out of her voice.

Feredir glanced at his brother and then returned his attention to Eruanna. "We'll let you go, but first," he lifted a hand to touch her lips, "I want a kiss."

* * *

**Third Age 2552**

Eruanna cried out in her sleep. A calm voice was at her side in moments, coaxing her out of the nightmare and back to the warm safety of her bed.

"It's alright child. It was only a dream. You are safe." Arwen brushed the elleth's forehead with a cool towel.

Eruanna opened her eyes, taking in the room and Arwen's presence. She fought to suppress the tears threatening to overflow and calm her trembling form.

Arwen sang to Eruanna as Celebrían had done for her when she'd had bad dreams. After some time, the sound of Arwen's voice soothed the troubled elleth and her breathing slowed to normal.

A shaky voice came from the huddled form. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Do not worry yourself," Arwen put the cloth aside. "Will you tell me about the dream?"

Eruanna shook her head, she could not tell Arwen. She didn't want her to know about Feredir or the other ellyn. She wanted to forget them all.

"Sometimes it is best to speak of things instead of keeping them locked up inside," the Lady whispered.

Eruanna turned her face into the pillow. "I'm alright now. You can go."

Arwen was unsure if she should push the child further. With a sigh, she tucked the elleth back into bed. "If you are certain."

"Yes," was the child's quiet reply.

"Very well," Arwen placed a kiss on the elleth's forehead. "I will be near, should you need me."

* * *

Arwen wandered the moonlit halls unable to sleep. It was the fourth night in a row that Eruanna awoke in a panic. The first night, she cried out so loudly Arwen heard her from down the hall. She was at Eruanna's side in moments, but the child would not tell her what frightened her so. Arwen sang her back to sleep and returned to bed. The Lady was not overly concerned about the nightmare Eruanna had, after all, her grandfather had just left her and she was a stranger in this land. By the third night, Arwen knew something was terribly wrong but Eruanna refused to confide in her. Arwen was at a loss for how to help the young elleth and she decided it was time to seek aide from someone with more experience.

Arwen knocked quietly on the door of her father's study. It was late, but everyone knew that the Lord of Imladris could be found in his study deep into the night. Arwen heard her father's voice call to her from the other side of the door.

"Enter."

Arwen opened the door and saw her father sitting in his chair by the fire, book in hand. "Good evening, ada."

"Arwen," the elf Lord looked upon his daughter with surprise, "what can I do for you, my child?"

"There is a problem. I…," Arwen rang her hands in frustration. "I don't know what to do ada."

Elrond took in his daughter's rattled demeanor. "Tell me what's wrong and we'll see if we can't figure something out."

Arwen sat beside her father. "It's Eruanna, she keeps having nightmares. The first night I assumed it was because of her grandfather's departure but it has been many days and still the dreams do not pass." Arwen took a deep breath. She hadn't wished to admit defeat so easily but for the child's sake, Arwen needed her father's wisdom.

"Nightmares," Elrond's face showed his concern. "Haldor did not mention his granddaughter having nightmares. Have you any idea what could have caused them?"

Arwen looked down at her hands. She remembered Glorfindel's words to her in the garden and how she'd dismissed them. Arwen thought the older elf was overreacting but now, she was not so sure. "The day Haldor left, Eruanna fell asleep in the garden. I had Glorfindel help me find her."

Elrond chuckled, thinking of his friend once again searching the garden for missing elflings. "That must have brought back memories."

Arwen smiled at that, "Yes, I do seem to remember him pulling me out of a tree once or twice when I was hiding from everyone." Arwen's mirth dissipated as her thoughts returned to Eruanna. "Glorfindel found her sleeping in a glade. He woke her."

There was a long pause in Arwen's words and Elrond waited patiently for his daughter to collect her thoughts.

"I didn't believe him," Arwen blurted out. "He was concerned. He said when he woke Eruanna that she was afraid, that she thought he was someone else and was afraid. I thought it was just her grandfather departing, being in a strange land, or being woken by a strange ellon but now," Arwen shook her head, "I think he may have been right."

Elrond felt a great deal of guilt for not having told Arwen about Eruanna's past. He had hoped to avoid it, but it seemed doing so would not be in the child's best interests. Eruanna would need to speak about what happened with the Mirkwood warden if she was to put it behind her.

Elrond was an experienced healer of both hroa and fae, but the elf Lord knew that he alone could not heal her spirit; if he was to succeed he would need Arwen's help as well. And if Arwen was to truly help the elleth, she would have to hear the entire story.

"Glorfindel is a very observant elf Arwen," Elrond began. The elf Lord stood and walked to a table where a pitcher of wine stood and poured two large glasses. He handed the second glass to Arwen who looked at it curiously before returning her attention to her father. "I should have told you this before you consented to be Eruanna's guardian. Forgive me. I wished to spare you this tale, but for Eruanna's sake, you need to know."

Arwen sat silently, taking larger and larger sips of her wine as her father related the story. Arwen had a difficult time believing it. _How could any elf harm a child?_ It was difficult for Arwen to comprehend and yet she could not push from her memory the fate of her grand uncles Eluréd and Elurín- abandoned to die in the wilderness by the sons of Fëanor. Arwen had always found the kinslayings difficult to imagine. If it were not for the stories of her father, of Glorfindel and Erestor -she would never have believed an elf could bring harm to one of their own kind.

_But she is not their kind._ A tiny voice whispered. _She is ada's kind_. It was the first time that particular thought had entered Arwen's mind and it was followed in quick succession by a dozen other thoughts. _Were ada and Eruanna the only peredhel in Middle Earth? Were there more out there somewhere, wandering the wilds? _Arwen looked to her father who had the bearing of a mighty elf Lord, but whose face showed the slightest hints of imperfection, of mortality.

There were other oddities about her father that went unnoticed by those who knew him well. Elrond was the only member of the house whose footfalls Arwen could hear coming down the hall. When Arwen was a child, she and her father would take long walks in the garden. It was always Arwen's job to listen for her mother calling them in to dinner. It was many years before Arwen realized that the task fell to her because Elrond could not hear Celebrían calling to them from such a great distance.

_What was it like to live among a people and be constantly reminded that you are not one of them?_ For the first time in her life, Arwen imagined the lonliness her father must feel, especially now that her mother had departed. Arwen knew that there were many that had not approved of the marriage of Celebrían and Elrond. Some thought Celebrían too fair to wed the son of Eärendil and Elwing. Arwen knew that there had been much love between her parents, but she could not help but wonder if her father would have been happier if he'd found an Elwing of his own.

Arwen shook her head, bringing herself back to the matter at hand. "How can we help her ada? How will she heal from this?"

Elrond exhaled slowly. "The pain will lessen in time, but she must confront it first. She must speak of it so it does not consume her."

Arwen shook her head. "She will not speak of it, ada."

Elrond nodded in understanding. "It will not be easy." He took another sip of his drink and studied the glass for a moment. "Why don't you and Eruanna have lunch with me tomorrow? Together, we will speak to her of her nightmares."


	6. Send her away

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work.

**Chapter 6 – Send her away**

**Third Age 2552**

Lord Elrond took his midday meal on the terrace adjacent to his study. The kitchen staff, as always, prepared a lovely mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, smoked meats and an assortment of pastries for the hungry household. Arwen and her charge arrived just as the stewards finished setting the table. Elrond thanked the elves for their incredible work before he, Arwen, and Eruanna sat down to their meal. For some time, the conversation dwelled on everyday topics. It was the first time since the elleth arrived in Imladris that Elrond had the chance to speak with her in such an intimate setting. Elrond was surprised by Eruanna's ease with conversation. It was strange that one could seem old one moment and young the next. At times Eruanna would comport herself as Arwen's age mate and then suddenly, she'd seem so very young.

In Elrond's early years his guardian, Maglor, often commented on how aged Elrond and his brother appeared, though the Eldar still considered them children. After some 6,000 years, Elrond was finally given the opportunity to see in this young elleth a reflection of himself as a child. They really were very much alike, he and Eruanna, both of whom had seen far too much cruelty during their early years.

When their plates were finally emptied, Elrond decided it was time to address the topic that had brought them all together. "How are you settling in, Eruanna?"

"Well, Lord Elrond, although," she paused, looking down at her hands. "I miss my grandparents."

"Of course you do. I would be more concerned if you claimed not to." Elrond looked to his daughter who sat quietly at Eruanna's side. "Arwen tells me you have been suffering from nightmares."

Eruanna looked up at Elrond in surprise and then back at her hands. She shrugged her shoulders, "They are just bad dreams," she replied in an unsuccessful attempt to dismiss the past nights' events.

Elrond would not allow the child to shrug them off so easily. The elf Lord had been unsure prior to their meal exactly how he would deal with this confrontation. After careful study of the elleth during their meal, he decided that a direct approach would be best. It would not behoove him to coddle or speak down to Eruanna for though the elves considered her so, she was not truly a child.

"Eruanna," he began in a serious tone, "Your grandfather told us about the Mirkwood wardens. That is why he brought you here, so you would be safe. You know that, do you not?"

"Yes," Eruanna choked out. She knew her grandfather told Elrond why she needed to leave her home, but it was not something she felt comfortable discussing; not with Ithilwen and certainly not with the Lord of Imladris.

Elrond watched the elleth body language change as her distress increased. He knew better than to stop now. The elleth needed to hear these words. "Arwen is here to take care of you. She wishes to help you, as do I. But we cannot help you if you keep the memories locked inside." He looked to his daughter who placed a comforting hand atop of Eruanna's. "You must speak of these things. They will not haunt you so, if you speak of them."

Eruanna stared down at her hands shaking her head. "No," came the trembling voice.

"Eruanna, you must. It is the only way you will heal. Ada knows of what he speaks." Arwen spoke softly to the elleth who seemed on the verge of tears.

Eruanna pulled her hands away from Arwen's. Her unsteady voice rose in volume. "I can't."

"Eruanna," Arwen reached out to the child again but Eruanna stood abruptly and shouted at the elven Lady. "No! Leave me alone."

Before Arwen could respond to the elleth's outburst Eruanna fled the terrace, running down the steps and disappearing into the garden.

"Eruanna!" Arwen made to follow her but was halted by her father.

"No Arwen, allow me. I will find her. Wait here." Arwen saw the concern on her father's face and nodded. She watched her father disappear into the garden and nervously paced the terrace, awaiting his return.

Elrond followed the elleth's tracks which led deep into the garden. Elrond had been a great tracker in days of old but he needed no great skill to follow the young one's trail. It had taken Elrond many years to learn to hide his own tracks as it did not come naturally to him as it did to the elves. It seemed Eruanna, too, would need training in stealth if ever she were to travel abroad. It is no wonder the Mirkwood wardens were able to find her so easily.

Elrond found Eruanna sitting on a carved stone bench in a small grove on the far end of the southern paths. Eruanna wiped the tears from her face when he appeared before her. Elrond glanced around the small glade remembering another young elleth he'd often found hiding here. "Arwen would come here whenever she was angry with me. It is good to know this spot has not been forgotten."

Eruanna stood, surprised by the elven Lord's presence. She had expected Arwen to come chasing after her, not Lord Elrond. She'd felt terrible for raising her voice at the Lady and for her poor behavior in Elrond's presence. Eruanna promised her grandparents she would make them proud, but they would be quite ashamed of her if they'd witnessed her tantrum before the elven Lord.

Elrond met the young one's eyes. "Come back to the house, child." Elrond took a few steps closer to Eruanna.

Eruanna was trapped in the alcove, the only way out was blocked by the elven Lord. A wave of panic shot through her as Elrond's hand contacted her left arm. Eruanna's free arm reacted on instinct. Without thinking, she drew back her arm and struck Elrond hard across the cheek.

Elrond released the child's arm and lifted a hand to his cheek, shock clearly visible on his face. Eruanna possessed quite a strong arm for such a small elleth. When Elrond looked back up at the child he saw tears streaming from her terror filled eyes. She backed her trembling form into a tree. Elrond thought she looked close to collapsing. He moved toward her again, this time more wary of the elleth's hands. She brought them up so to protect herself.

"Please don't," Eruanna pleaded though uneven breaths.

Elrond stopped in his tracks, realizing that the child was fearful of retribution for the blow she'd landed. He took a step back and spoke softly to the frightened elleth. "I would never hurt you, child. I give you my word."

Eruanna broke down into racking sobs. She slid down the tree to a seated position and wept, hugging her knees to her chest.

Elrond approached the elleth carefully and sat down on the ground beside her. He pulled the child into his arms and held her as he'd held Arwen when she needed comforting.

"I'm sorry," came a shaky voice.

"Shhh. All is well," he brushed her long hair away from her eyes. "You will never have anything to fear in my house. I told your grandfather I would protect you and I will, unto the ending of the world. I promise you."

Elrond waited until the elleth's breathing steadied before taking her chin in hand and turning her face so he could see her eyes. "You must promise me something too, Eruanna. You must promise me you will speak to Arwen about your nightmares. You can keep them inside no longer. Do you understand?"

Eruanna nodded. "I understand," she whispered.

"Good, now shall we return to the house? Arwen is waiting for us. She will eat all of our dessert if we do not return soon."

Eruanna giggled at the thought of the beautiful elven Lady devouring their pastries. Relieved by the sound of the elleth's laughter, Elrond stood and offered his hand to Eruanna. After helping her to her feet the pair walked in silence back to the house, each lost in their own thoughts.

Arwen sat on the settee fidgeting nervously when she heard the familiar sound of her father's footfalls approaching the terrace.

"Ada, Eruanna." Arwen approached the pair as they ascended the steps. "Is everything alright?" She looked back and forth between her father and the elleth on his arm. "What happened to your cheek, ada?" Arwen noted the red mark evident on the elf Lord's face.

Eruanna blushed crimson and her gaze dropped to the floor.

"Eruanna and I have come to an understanding," Elrond stated cryptically.

"I see," Arwen was not certain she saw at all, but it was the only response that seemed appropriate.

"I must return to work now; Erestor will begin to wonder what happened to me." Elrond placed a kiss on Arwen's forehead and, nodding to Eruanna, left them alone on the veranda.

Arwen turned her attention back to Eruanna's tear stained face. "Are you well, child?"

Eruanna nodded, "Yes. I am fine."

"What happened in the garden?" Arwen asked curiously.

"I hit him," Eruanna hung her head shamefully.

"You what!" Arwen could not contain her shock at the elleth's words. "Why?"

Eruanna sat down on one of the settees and pulled her knees up to her chin. "I was afraid," was her quiet reply.

Arwen sat beside the smaller elleth, "Ada would never hurt you. Why were you afraid of him?"

Eruanna closed her eyes. She could do this, she could tell Arwen. Lord Elrond said it would get better if she told someone. She took a deep breath and began.

"They are not nightmares," her voice trembled slightly. "I wish they were."

* * *

Eruanna walked home quickly from her neighbor's talan. Eruanna's grandmother ordered her out of the house earlier that day. In recent months, Eruanna had become increasingly reluctant to leave her house. She would not wander out of sight of her home unless her grandmother ordered her to do so. This morning Ithilwen gave her the task of taking some newly harvested vegetables to their neighbors and exchanging them for others that Eruanna and Ithilwen were not currently growing. Eruanna was unable to avoid the task and so she kept up a quick pace hoping to avoid meeting anyone along the way. Her hopes were in vain. Eruanna was nearly home when Feredir dropped out of the tree and landed in her path.

"It's been awhile, little one. Now I know you've been hiding from me." Feredir's smiling face filled Eruanna with dread.

She took a step backwards for each foreword movement he made until she'd backed herself into a tree. For a moment Eruanna considered crying out to her grandmother who was no doubt within hearing distance, but she could not bring herself to make a sound.

"I've missed you." Feredir reached out a hand to touch Eruanna's face but the elleth knocked his hand away before he could make contact. Anger shot through the ellon's eyes. He grabbed Eruanna by her arms and slammed her hard against the tree trunk, drawing a painful cry from the tiny elleth.

"That wasn't very nice," he hissed.

Eruanna was beyond terrified, she could not break the ellon's grip, nor could she find the courage to call out for help. She came back to her senses when the ellon pressed his mouth down hard upon hers. He released her arms and his hands moved roughly across her body. Her hands freed, Eruanna pushed desperately at the warden but she was unable to move him.

Eruanna fell to the ground as Feredir's body was thrown backward and into another large tree.

"What in Eru's name do you think you're doing!" Maeron shouted at his brother. It was not a question. Maeron had stood by, silently watching his older brothers torment the peredhel child for nearly two years but he would be silent no more.

"What do you care, Maeron…." Feredir did not have the chance to finish his sentence.

"She is a child, Feredir! How could you do this?" Maeron's words were painful to his ears.

A sneer twisted the other ellon's face. "She looks like no child to me." Feredir cast a cruel glance at the elleth frozen at the base of the tree.

Maeron shook his head. He knew not who the ellon was that stood before him now. "If

you were not my brother…" Maeron's voice was lethal. "Get out of here!"

Feredir looked at his gentle brother as though he'd never seen him before. He took several steps backward into the wood, turning his back on Maeron only when he was a safe distance away.

Maeron turned his attention back to the elleth. She climbed shakily to her feet, using the tree as support. "Are you alright, child?" Maeron asked. The elleth turned her tear stained face to him but made no reply.

Maeron picked up the basket she'd dropped and made to hand it to her. The elleth backed away from him. "It's alright. Take the basket. Your grandparents will want those vegetables, will they not?"

The elleth lifted a trembling hand and took the basket from him. Maeron was at a loss for what to say to the child. He had not said much more than a few words to her since he'd arrived on these borders. In fact, he'd done everything he could to avoid her and his brothers' harassment of her. It shamed him now- that he had not put a stop to it sooner. He'd never imagined Feredir and Sadron's mistreatment of the child would go this far.

"Do you need help getting home?" he asked her.

The elleth shook her head. She slowly inched her way past him and without a word walked off in the direction of her home.

Maeron watched her retreating form until she faded into the woods. He stood there a long time, an invisible battle consuming him from within. His decision made, he turned back to the woods. He had a task to perform and he hoped that in doing so, some of his honor might be restored.

* * *

Haldor watched the sun as it made its way leisurely to the horizon. It was nearly time to call it a day and return to his wife and granddaughter. Haldor had spent the afternoon chopping a felled tree for firewood. The physical labor made the old warrior feel rejuvenated. He missed the training fields and border patrols and looked forward to returning to his duties when Eruanna reached majority.

Haldor sensed the approaching warden before hearing his voice. "Mae govannen, herdir."

Haldor shifted his attention from the pile of wood to the young warden standing some five meters away. "Mae govannen, warden, can I help you?"

The young warden looked around nervously. "You are Haldor, advisor to the king?"

Haldor was not entirely surprised that the ellon knew his name. Haldor was not exactly unknown among the Mirkwood wardens, many of whom Haldor himself had trained. "I am. How may I help you, warden?"

The ellon paused as if unsure whether he wished to answer his question. "Has your granddaughter returned home this eve?"

Haldor's attention was now completely on the ellon before him. "You know Eruanna?" He was curious as to why this stranger would be asking after his child.

The ellon's nervousness showed. "Yes, sort of, I…I wanted to be sure she is well."

"Of course she is well." Haldor replied, thinking of Eruanna's smiling face when he left her and Ithilwen earlier that day.

"I would suggest you be certain of it, herdir."

The seriousness in the ellon's voice made Haldor's blood run cold. "What do you mean by this?" Haldor's voice rose in concern.

The young warden took a step back. "I only meant. I think she may be injured." He stumbled over the words not wishing to say more than he had to.

Haldor calmed some at the warden's response. Eruanna always found a way of getting into some sort of trouble, but if the ellon thought she'd gone home then it could not be too serious. Haldor was thankful for the warden's concern and attempted to allay his fears. "Eruanna has always been prone to accidents when she is not paying attention…."

"They were not accidents." The warden interrupted Haldor's words.

Haldor was silent for a moment. "What do you mean 'not accidents'?" His grip tightened on the ax. The young warden glanced nervously at the tool in the old warrior's hand, aware that it could easily be used as a weapon.

Maeron took another step away from the ellon but he could not leave until he warned the warrior the danger his child was in. "You must send her away. If you love her, you will send her away."

"What is it you are telling me?" Haldor asked, his voice a mix of anger and fear.

The young warden, afraid of saying anything more, moved further into the darkening woods. "I'm sorry. Tell her I'm sorry."

Haldor watched the ellon disappear into the trees. He might have gone after the warden if not for the panic that gripped him. Haldor dropped his ax and ran home on swift feet. It was not far. He arrived minutes later to find his wife singing on the porch of their talan.

"Where is Eruanna?" Haldor's voice was unsteady.

The sight of her husband in such a state brought Ithilwen immediately to his side. "She is in her bedroom. Why? What is wrong?" Ithilwen asked, concerned.

"Did she say anything when she came home?" He gripped his wife, holding her at arm's length.

Ithilwen, confused, thought it best to simply answer her mate's question. "Only that she did not feel well. She went to her room to lie down."

Haldor's voice caught in his throat. He grabbed his wife's arm and pulled her along with him to Eruanna's door.

"What is this about, meleth nin?" Ithilwen's voice trembled at the state her husband was in.

Haldor could not respond to his wife's question, for in truth, he did not know the answer. He knocked gently on Eruanna's door and heard his granddaughter's voice call out from the other side. Haldor opened the door and easily spotted Eruanna in the starlit room. She lay on her side facing the window wrapped in lights blankets.

Haldor entered the room, his wife in tow, and sat himself on the bed. Eruanna did not turn to face him and the ellon could not find the words to begin.

"Your grandfather is worried about you, Eruanna," Ithilwen broke the silence.

Eruanna responded to her grandmother's words but did not turn to face them. Her voice trembled slightly. "I don't feel well. I just want to sleep."

"We must speak first," Haldor stated, finally finding his voice. "Eruanna look at me."

Haldor reached out a hand and grabbed Eruanna's shoulder to turn her toward him but he quickly released her when the child cried out in pain.

Haldor looked back to his wife whose face and gone pale with the sound her granddaughter had just made.

"Eruanna. Eruanna look at me," Haldor demanded but the child would not turn. "Let me see your shoulder."

The child shook her head.

"That is not a request Eruanna," Haldor's voice rose in anger and though it was not directed at her, the child shuddered at the emotion in his voice.

Ithilwen placed a calming hand on her husband's shoulder and sat down on the bed. She reached for the back of her granddaughter's nightgown and undid the first two clasps. She slid the neckline over the elleth's shoulder revealing an angry bruise running from her shoulder down along the center of her back. Ithilwen raised a hand to her face, her mouth open in shock.

"What happened, child?" The elleth asked.

"I fell." The words slipped pathetically from Eruanna's lips.

"You did not get this in a fall!" Haldor yelled, causing Eruanna to curl up into a tighter ball.

"Haldor!" Ithilwen's eyes begged for her husband to control his rage.

Haldor looked at the child and immediately regretted his harsh words. The elf took a long calming breath. He looked at his wife who, so horrified by the sight of Eruanna's injury, looked on the verge of collapse. Haldor knew he had to take control of the situation so his wife would not break down in front of Eruanna. "Ithilwen, go and get some herbs for pain and some healing salves."

Ithilwen stared silently at her husband unable to make a verbal response. She looked down at Eruanna, afraid of what injures might be left unseen. Haldor reassured her with a nod and she left the room to gather the supplies. Ithilwen made it all the way to her own room before being overcome by tears.

Haldor watched his wife go. He placed a gentle hand on Eruanna's head, caressing her hair reassuringly, as he'd done on many troubled nights in the past. Haldor could hear his wife sobbing on the other side of the house. He'd known by the look on his wife's face that this task would fall to him.

As a warrior, Haldor had tended the injuries of many wardens both male and female but none of it had prepared him for this. "Eruanna, I must check you for other injuries. Do you understand?"

The child shook her head. "No," was her weak reply.

"I must child," Haldor took a deep breath and continued unbuttoning the back of her sleeping gown. The bruise ran all the way down her back as if the child had been slammed against a wall. He placed a hand on her arm and another muffled cry escaped her lips. "Does it hurt there as well?"

He pushed the sleeve down her right arm to the elbow revealing a perfect handprint, complete with finger sized welts darkening her upper arm. Haldor froze. The words of the warden echoed in his head. They were not accidents. Haldor could not breathe. Eruanna's broken wrist and ankle, the burn on her hand, she'd said they were accidents and he believed her. Why wouldn't he? She was not as graceful as an elf and had often had falls and other accidents while growing up. But she'd not had such an incident for many years, and then, she broke her wrist. Haldor fought hard to remember the exact date. It was nearly two years ago, two years!

The words came out of his mouth. He spoke them to no one but himself as if these things could not be real unless he spoke them aloud. "It was not an accident. Your wrist, someone broke it. And the other injuries…."

He placed a hand on the child's head, battling his own guilt and shame at not having seen how his granddaughter was suffering, "Why did you not tell us someone was hurting you? Why did you say they were accidents?"

Haldor did not expect an answer but Eruanna responded to what sounded like disappointment in her grandfather's voice.

"I'm sorry," Eruanna's voice trembled. She did not want her grandfather to be disappointed in her.

The sound of his granddaughter apologizing for another's cruelty broke Haldor's heart. "No. You have nothing to apologize for, my child. It is your grandmother and I who must apologize, for not seeing you were in pain. It is our duty to protect you."

Eruanna rolled onto her back and looked at her grandfather with tear filled eyes. Haldor pulled her into a seated position and carefully wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she wept into his chest. "You are so very brave, my child." Haldor rocked her until the tears passed.

Ithilwen returned to Eruanna's room, healing salves in hand, her face still puffy from her own tears. She sat on the bed where Eruanna remained cradled in her grandfather's arms. Ithilwen kissed her granddaughter's cheek. "Here, these will make the pain go away."

She opened the jar of numbing salve and began applying it to Eruanna's back.

Eruanna's spirit calmed as the pain diminished. She was forced to shift in order to allow her grandmother access to both of her arms.

When Ithilwen was finished she hesitated, "Do you have any other injuries?"

Eruanna shook her head and Ithilwen's relief was palpable. The elleth refastened the clasps on her granddaughter's nightgown before hugging her carefully. The three elves stayed that way for some time offering comfort and strength one to the other.

It was Haldor's voice that broke the silence. "You must tell us what happened, Eruanna. You must tell us who hurt you."

Eruanna closed her eyes tightly. She did not want to tell her grandparents about Feredir and Sadron, about the laughing ellyn. She didn't want her loved ones to see her as the wardens did -a clumsy, ugly, half blood freak.

Haldor, sensing his granddaughter's uncertainty, gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Eruanna began the tale from the beginning and ended with the past day's events. It was not an easy story to tell and she was afraid that her grandparents might be angered that she had kept it all a secret.

Haldor and his wife sat long into the night listening to their child relate the events of the past two years, events that Eruanna had somehow managed to keep hidden from them. When the tale was done, they tucked Eruanna's exhausted form into bed and retired to their own rooms.

Haldor stared out his bedroom window for a long time wondering where the ellyn who had hurt his baby were at that very moment. Haldor had never imagined he could feel such immense hate for another elf, but at that moment he wished for nothing less than a band of orcs to come upon Feredir, so that they might inflict a slow and painful death.

Ithilwen moved to the window, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist and resting her head on the small of his back. "Will they be punished?" Ithilwen asked.

Haldor shook his head. "I wish I could be sure." He sighed, knowing the prejudice that Thranduil's court held for the peredhel. Even if with all of his influence Haldor could have the two ellyn punished for their crimes it would not change the truth of the matter.

"Even if the wardens who did this are punished there will be others, others who believe as they do. She will never be accepted by the elves of Mirkwood."

Ithilwen hugged her husband tightly. "What will we do?"

Haldor was silent for a long time searching for an answer to his wife's question.

"Imladris," Haldor whispered. "We must take her to Imladris. She will be safe there, with her own kind."


	7. Another 6,000 years

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 7****– Another 6,000 years**

**Third Age 2552**

Elrond was plagued by nightmares that very same night. In them, he relived the eve his sons had come riding madly into Imladris bearing their mother's broken body. Elrond did not even recognize his wife when Elladan carried her into the healing rooms. For a few moments, he was unable to move and his assistant, Istuion, was forced to take charge. The elf Lord took his wife's delicate hand in his, unable to speak or think or feel beneath the crushing horror of the sight before him.

Elrond awoke with tears running down his cheeks. He'd not had that dream for several years, why should it haunt him now? He left his bed, knowing he would find no rest tonight and decided some fresh air might lift the heavy fog that hung about him. The Lord of Imladris abandoned the marble halls of his house and wandered the starlit gardens. He listened to the singing of the nighttime creatures, willing their music to calm his troubled soul. After a time, he found himself in the same small glade where he spoke with Eruanna earlier that day. He sat himself on the stone bench, pondering what it was that had brought him back to this place.

Elrond looked out upon the lovely scenery. The garden looked beautiful; the dew speckled foliage shimmered by the grace of Ithil. As his gaze drifted across the landscape he found his eyes drawn to the tree growing opposite the stone bench. In his mind's eye he could see the young elleth backing into the tree away from him, her hands raised, and her terror filled eyes…_it was her eyes_. The revelation hit Elrond hard. It was the child's eyes that had reawakened his nightmares.

Elrond had seen terror like that only once before – in his wife's eyes. Long after her physical wounds were healed, Celebrían's experiences tormented her. Elrond would hold her when she woke from nightmares. There were times, when waking from those terrible dreams that she would lash out, thinking him an orc. During those brief moments the fear in his wife's eyes tore at his soul. He saw that fear again, today, in the child's eyes. That was why the dream had returned.

Elrond found some comfort in identifying the cause of his sleepless night. Though he was known far and wide as a wise and venerable Lord, Elrond was not always so perceptive when it came to personal matters. The ancient ruler bore such burdens of knowledge and responsibility that he found it easier to ignore his own troubled soul.

With a sigh, Elrond stood and made his way back to the house. There was no reason to remain in this place, having found the explanation for his sleepless night. Reaching the house, he saw Arwen reading on the terrace leading to her chambers. He silently thanked Iluvatar that at least one piece of his heart was yet untouched by the horrors of the world.

Arwen heard her father approaching. She was surprised that he'd come from the garden as her father did not normally wander the grounds at night. She sensed he might need some company and so placed her book aside so he'd have no reason to think he was disturbing her.

"Ada, you are up late this eve." Arwen smiled at her father as he climbed the steps.

Elrond approached his daughter, taking a seat at her side. "I was unable to sleep," he said dismissively, not wishing to burden his child with the details of his dream. Elrond looked past Arwen up at the sky. The light of Eärendil shone brightly, smiling down upon them. It had dimmed some with the passing of ages but was still more radiant than any other star in the sky.

Arwen followed her father's gaze and placed a hand on his. "Do you miss them, your ada and naneth?"

"I'm not sure," the words were spoken before Elrond could think better of them. They sounded harsh to his ears and he tried to soften them with an explanation. "I was so young when they sailed across the sea. I should like to see them again, though I do not know if I would even recognize them."

Arwen nodded her understanding. She gazed up at the sky thinking of her father's parents whom she'd never known. They were in the Undying Lands with her mother. "I miss naneth," Arwen whispered.

Elrond returned his attention from the sky back to his daughter. A shadow fell across her fair face. He pulled her close and she rested her head on his chest. Elrond knew Arwen missed her mother. He'd been certain that she would travel with Celebrían across the sea, but to his great surprise, his daughter had remained. Elrond wondered if it had been his wife's request that Arwen remain with him in Middle Earth. The night before they were to depart for the Grey Havens, Elrond stopped by Arwen's rooms to see if she required assistance packing her things. He was surprised to find not a single item out of place. He'd asked her why she was not ready to sail. Her words lent him the strength to carry on.

_I will not leave you, ada._

Elrond hugged his daughter. "I miss her too, but one day, we shall all be reunited." It was the one thought that brought him comfort; they would all be reunited in Valinor.

Arwen closed her eyes; she'd never understood why the elves wished to leave Middle Earth. She did not feel the call of the sea nor had she ever heard her father speak of it. She knew that her father had pledged to stay in Middle Earth until the last of the elves sailed west, but she knew not who this pledge was made to, nor why it had been made. "And when will that be?"

Elrond did not have an answer for his daughter. Celebrían asked him that very same question on the eve of her departure but even with the gift of foresight, Elrond was unable to see when the time of the elves would end. The future was clouded by the darkness growing in the east. Elrond could feel the darkness spreading and he believed it would hasten the elven exodus. How long would the elves remain in Middle Earth? Five hundred years, a thousand, two thousand? To men, such a count of years was forever, but to the elves it would pass in a heartbeat.

Elrond was not so certain the years would pass as quickly for him. His wife had been the foundation he'd built the last two and a half millennia of his life on. An elf would have faded long ago if they'd suffered the pain of losing so many loved ones. There were other elves who survived a parting with a parent, a brother, a friend, but no elf could survive the torment of their mate without passing into the west. Alas, Elrond was not an elf and so could not fade from these things and yet, his soul was weary. There were times he wished he could forget his concern for Middle Earth and the promise he made. Then he could abandon this land like the rest of the elves and find peace in the Undying Lands.

Elrond, remembering his daughter's question, answered her as best he could. "I know not when the end will come. I know only that it will be soon by the measure of the elves, though by the measure of men, a long time hence."

Arwen hugged her father. "We shall both see her again, ada, and Elrohir and Elladan will come as well, if ever they grow tired of hunting orcs." Arwen's heart ached at the thought of her brothers. After a visit of no more than a few weeks, they returned to the wilds. Her once gentle brothers had changed much since the attack on their mother. They spent most of their time with the Dúnedain, slaughtering as many of the foul beasts as they could find. How Arwen feared for them each time they were parted!

"Yes," Elrond whispered, "we shall all be reunited again."

There was a long silence where father and daughter sat looking up at the stars. Arwen wondered at her father's pensive mood. _Why had he been in the garden?_ Arwen was unsure if she should ask, not wanting to pry further into her father's private thoughts. He'd already confided much to her tonight and Arwen knew he disliked sharing his burdens with others, especially her.

When it became clear to Arwen that her father had more on his mind, she decided to ask him about his walk. She sensed that there was more to his sleepless night than lack of fatigue. "Ada, why were you out in the garden?"

The elf Lord studied his daughter for a moment, unsure if he should tell her about the dreams that his encounter with Eruanna had reawakened. A smile curled his lips. It dawned on the great and wise healer that, earlier that very day, he'd counseled the young elleth to speak of the things that haunted her and now he found himself reluctant to take his own advice.

Arwen noted the strange expression that crossed her father's face. "What is so amusing?"

Elrond's attention returned to his daughter. "I was thinking I should take my own advice once in awhile."

Arwen's confused expression made Elrond laugh softly. "I had a nightmare this eve and I just remembered I'd told Eruanna to speak of her own nightmares earlier today."

Arwen smiled. "Then perhaps you should take the healer's advice," she paused. "Do you wish to tell me of the dream, ada?"

Elrond leaned back against the wall. He did not wish to relive these memories with his daughter, but Elrond knew that Arwen was the only other person in Imladris who would truly understand. "It was about the night your brothers brought your mother in from the Redhorn Pass."

Arwen's face dropped at her father's quiet admission. She placed a comforting hand on his arm. Arwen understood such dreams, having had them herself not so long ago.

Elrond continued, strengthened by the warm hand on his arm. "I have not had that dream for some time and yet it returned tonight."

A thoughtful expression graced Arwen's beautiful face. _Why should tonight be any different?_ She voiced that very thought. "Why tonight?"

Elrond raised a hand to his cheek rubbing the spot where Eruanna's hand had landed. He was grateful the child's palm print faded quickly. It saved him from explaining the mark to Erestor and Eru forbid, Glorfindel.

Arwen watched her father raise a hand to his cheek and realized what the simple gesture meant, "Eruanna," she whispered the child's name. The young elleth did not elaborate on what took place in the garden beyond the fact that she'd struck the Lord of Imladris. Curious, she pressed her father for more detail. "What happened in the garden, ada? She told me she struck you."

"She did," Elrond could see the events playing out in his memory. It had all happened so fast Elrond hadn't had time to process what he felt during their encounter. He was so concerned with the elleth's emotional welfare he'd once again ignored his own. When he'd fallen asleep, Elrond's mind was finally free to process the day's events. The horror of the episode with Eruanna came crashing to the fore bringing with it painful memories.

What frightened Elrond most was that in the moment after Eruanna struck him, she did not see Elrond, Lord of Imladris, healer, teacher, guardian…she'd seen only an ellon; an ellon who, like the Mirkwood wardens, was capable of causing her harm. It left a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that the child would think him capable of harming her. Elrond tried to find the words to explain this to his daughter. "She was afraid, but not of the Lord of Imladris." Elrond paused, "She feared an ellon who had her trapped in a garden grove." Elrond looked down at his hands. "Her eyes were filled with such terror. She thought I would hurt her. It was like looking into your mother's eyes when she woke from a nightmare."

Arwen gave her father's arm a comforting squeeze.

Elrond closed his eyes and leaned his head against the cool stone wall. "If I live another 6,000 years, I never wish to see that kind of fear in an elleth's eyes again."


	8. Reluctant Teachers Part One

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 8– Reluctant Teachers – Part One**

**Third Age 2553**

Erestor sat in his usual corner of the library quietly rereading a book of ancient Numenorian legends; a book that he himself had compiled many ages past. The copy he now held was perhaps the fifth text meticulously copied by one of the house's many scribes. It was quite a task, maintaining the wisdom of the past, and it fell to Erestor to keep the library's collection in order.

Today, however, the old counselor was not in the library on business. Elrond had forced him to take the day for himself, something Erestor was loath to do. Unfortunately, Elrond had ordered it and as the Lord of Imladris was the only ellon in the realm with any authority over him, Erestor had no choice but to comply. And so, the counselor found his way to the library, sat himself in his favorite chair, and whiled away the afternoon immersed in his favorite and most often overlooked pastime.

It was in the late afternoon that Erestor's quiet was disturbed by the sound of footsteps echoing down the hall. He recognized them immediately as those of Arwen's young charge. The counselor was not surprised when Eruanna entered the library and took a seat near the large open window. The elf had often seen the child curled up in that chair, surrounded by piles of books; an elleth after his own heart. He'd given her aide this past year, pulling books down from the high shelves she was unable to reach.

Erestor acknowledged the young one with a nod, a gesture she returned, before returning to his own reading. It was several hours later when Erestor lifted his head to find the child surrounded by an enormous pile of books. She wore a curious expression on her face as she turned through a lengthy tome, ignoring the words, but stopping to study every detail of the illustrations contained within.

Erestor's gaze moved past the child to the open window. The reddening sky signaled the lateness of the hour. It was true that his Lord had given him the day off, but even so, Erestor felt obliged to check on the kitchen staff to ensure that dinner was under way. He stood and placed the book he'd been reading back in its place on the high shelf. As he did so, his sensitive ears picked up the quiet sigh that escaped the child as she turned yet another page. His keen eyes identified the book she held and the image she studied as one of Fëanor forging the silmarils.

In the months since Eruanna's arrival in Imladris, Erestor had found little need to speak with the young one and had, in truth, avoided her whenever possible. Her present, gloomy expression while studying the book gave him pause and impelled him to investigate further. He wondered what aspect of the story had her looking so sad, as she appeared to have not yet arrived at the downfall of the Noldo. "Are you enjoying the Quenta Silmarillion?" His voice startled the child. It seemed Eruanna had been as oblivious to his presence these many hours as he'd been to hers.

Eruanna was so entranced by the book she'd spent the past hour studying that she'd forgotten Lord Erestor's presence and jumped at the sound of his voice. The attention Lord Erestor paid her was surprising as well. The old counselor had rarely spoken to her beyond the normal greetings members of the house exchanged in passing. It took her a moment to respond to the ellon's words as she did not quite understand his question. Her confusion must have shown, for Lord Erestor shifted his gaze briefly to her lap and the book that lay there. Eruanna looked down at the book, carefully choosing her answer. "I like the _drawings_," came her wistful reply.

Erestor's mouth curled in a genuinely humble smile. "Thank you, my Lady; it took much time to complete them."

Eruanna blushed at being called a Lady but her embarrassment soon faded at the meaning behind his words. "You drew these?" Her eyes widened at the nod of Erestor's head. "They are wonderful! I was not aware you were an artist, Lord Erestor."

The counselor laughed lightly at the young elleth's compliment. "I am hardly an artist, child, merely a scribe who finds creative inspiration in the great deeds of the past."

Eruanna looked back down at the beautiful drawing and smiled. She'd learned something unexpected about the mysterious Lord Erestor. She knew so little about most of the elves in this land and even less about Lord Elrond's high counselor. What she did know was that all in the house respected and obeyed Erestor, and his authority was second only to Lord Elrond himself. Eruanna's musings were interrupted by the counselor's next question.

"And what of the tale?" Erestor asked the child, but she made no answer. He watched her wring her hands in a nervous fashion and feared he had upset her in some way. He took a few steps closer to her before repeating the question. "Do you like the story, child?" Erestor watched the young one's face return to its former, troubled state.

Eruanna traced the figures of the elegant script that covered the page opposite the illustration. "The words are strange. I can't read them." She looked back at the counselor, sadness pouring from her eyes.

Erestor moved to the elleth's side. He looked down at the page over which her fingers glided and answered her unspoken question. "It is written in Quenya, the High Elven tongue."

Eruanna returned her attention to the open page. "I don't know that one," she admitted, shamed by her own ignorance.

Erestor looked down into Eruanna face and momentarily found it difficult to believe she was less than a century old. Her troubled eyes seemed more aged than any ellith ten times her age. It had been a long time since he's seen such expression in one so young. Erestor pushed those thoughts away and continued the conversation at hand. "Many of the books in this library are written in Quenya and in the adjoining room, in Westron. You will need to learn those languages if you are to read them."

If possible, the young one's expression grew darker. Erestor was not sure why his words should upset her, seeing as how she had all of the time in Arda to learn them. He seated himself in the chair beside her and spoke softly to the strange elleth. "Would you like to be able to read them, child?"

"Yes!" Eruanna cried out forcefully. She composed herself and took a deep, calming breath before continuing, her voice just above a whisper, "But who will teach me? Arwen tried to show me how, but I think she has not the patience."

Erestor raised a brow at Eruanna's solemn admission. He knew that Arwen had a great deal of patience in caring for the young peredhel, but he also knew that the Lady Undómiel was no teacher. "I see." The elf Lord nodded, "Well then, we will have to find another to instruct you."

Eruanna's head shot up at the counselor's unexpected response. She'd thought that Lord Erestor would blame her for her inability to receive instruction, but instead- he'd offered to find someone else to teach her. "You can do that?"

Erestor nodded, "I will speak with Lord Elrond tonight, after the evening meal."

Eruanna's eyes shined brighter than they had in weeks. She would no longer be forced to merely study paintings of the great tales; she would be able to read them like everyone else. Eruanna prayed that Lord Erestor would find a teacher with patience enough to instruct her. "Thank you, Lord Erestor."

* * *

"I think you are the perfect choice, Erestor." Lord Elrond looked into the stunned face of his friend and trusted advisor. The normally reserved counselor looked downright appalled by the suggestion that he take charge of the elleth's education.

Erestor sat across from his Lord and close friend, his thoughts running in circles. _What have I gotten myself into?_ He promised the child he'd find her a new teacher but he'd not intended to be taking the job himself. Erestor shook his head, "I have many duties as it is - you know that. I do not have time to tutor a child in language and history."

Elrond studied his friend carefully. The elf Lord found it strange that Erestor would refuse such a rare assignment. There were fewer and fewer elflings born in the waning years of the elves and therefore fewer students for the lore masters. The old counselor was one of the greatest lore masters this side of Belegear and had never before turned away a willing pupil. Elrond knew there was more to his reticence than an overloaded work schedule.

Erestor grew uncomfortable under his friend's scrutiny and was fully aware his excuse sounded pathetic- even to his own ears. Elrond would, no doubt, lighten his current workload if he were to take on an apprentice.

_Why am I so reluctant to take on this task?_

If Erestor was to be completely honest with himself he would have to admit- the child made him uncomfortable. Erestor had served Lord Elrond for an age and prior to that, High King Gil-galad. The counselor remembered the first time Ereinion introduced him to his cousin. Erestor had not welcomed Elrond with open arms. Indeed, it was long years before Erestor came to trust the half-elf and even longer for friendship to grow between them. The counselor regretted it now, but at the time, he could not erase the suspicion Elrond's strangeness stirred within him.

Erestor looked into the finely lined face of his oldest friend. The Lord of Imladris looked older than when first they'd met. It was not something Erestor dwelled on, but there was a time when the fine lines spreading from the corner of Elrond's eyes would have caused him unease. Something in Erestor's expression as he studied his companion must have betrayed his conflicted thoughts.

"You dissemble, Erestor." Elrond gave his companion a gentle smile, hoping to reassure the other ellon. "Anything you wish to say will stay in this room, mellon nin."

Erestor's mind drifted back over the millennia. One thought surfaced, drowning out all others, demanding to be shared aloud. "She reminds me of you, long ago, when first we met."

"I see," the Elrond's smile broadened. "So you think her a spy as well?"

Erestor's head shot up, shock clear on his face. The expression faded as he noted the humor in his Lord's eyes. Erestor was forced to smile as well, "No, I know she is no spy."

"Ah, that is good then." Elrond knew it was difficult for Erestor to speak of the time before they'd earned each other's trust. It had been a long struggle, but both ellyn had found their lives better for it. Erestor was not the only elf to find Elrond strange when he first arrived among the elves of Lindon. As the ages passed, the years granted Elrond the air of an elf, and they would do the same for Eruanna. It was now, in her early years, that the difference between edhil and peredhil was greatest.

"It is…disturbing. She is a child and yet, she is not. When I spoke to her today it was like speaking to one much older but also one so very young…. I have not felt such discomfort in the presence of another being since…." Erestor was unable to finish that sentence but there was no need. Elrond completed it for him.

"Since we first met?" Elrond finished the sentence for his friend who seemed loath to complete that thought aloud.

"Yes." Erestor admitted.

Elrond stood and moved to pour him and his friend a drink. He handed Erestor a goblet and sat himself on the edge of his desk. Elrond studied his own glass thinking over how best to help his friend overcome his _discomfort_.

"I understand, Erestor. You are far from the only elf to find Eruanna's peculiarities disturbing." He paused, "I, too, am not guiltless in this matter."

Erestor was startled by his Lord's confession. He'd not expected Elrond to feel the same way about the peredhel.

Elrond took in the curious expression that crossed his friend's face. He realized that his declaration came as something of a surprise to the counselor. Truthfully, it came as a surprise to Elrond as well.

"Seeing as I have never before met one such as myself…I did not expect to find her so…_puzzling_." Puzzled, Elrond could think of no other word to describe his present thoughts surrounding Eruanna. He'd not spoken of it to anyone before tonight but it seemed appropriate given the circumstances. What confused the elf Lord most was how much he'd come to enjoy the young one's presence in his house, the sound of her voice, her laughter. In a few short months Eruanna managed to pull Arwen out of her gloom and had begun to work the same magic on Elrond. Why should she have such a marked effect on them?

_Ilúvatar works in mysterious ways_.

Elrond moved to the seat beside his friend. "I understand now, why you found it difficult to accept me." He gave the ellon's arm a firm squeeze. "But you did accept me, eventually. It will be the same with Eruanna."

Erestor nodded. It was true, it would take time, but one day the child's differences would pass unnoticed by the elves of Imladris just the same as Elrond's.

"I will not order you to take on this task, mellon nin. I will, however, ask you to consider it, for the child's sake. You are an extraordinary teacher, Erestor." He paused, thinking back to days long since past. "I still have no idea how you were able to keep my sons in their seats for more than five minutes."

Erestor could not contain his laughter at the memory of the two elfling Lords he'd instructed. Somehow he did not think Eruanna would give him a fraction of the trouble which the twins were capable of. Still, it had been many years since he'd taken on a pupil. He spoke that thought aloud. "It has been a long time since I've taught a young one."

Elrond's response was halted by a knock at the door. Elrond had sent word for Arwen to bring Eruanna to his study. Elrond opened the door and found Arwen awaiting him, Eruanna at her side. He smiled at the pair, "Good evening," he turned his attention to Eruanna. "I'd like to have a word with Arwen in private. Would you please wait for us outside a moment?" The child nodded, a nervous expression on her face which the elf Lord attempted to sooth with a smile. Elrond motioned his daughter inside, closing the door behind her.

"Lord Erestor has informed me that Eruanna wishes to be instructed in language and history. I have asked him to take on this duty but he has some reservations about doing so." Elrond explained to his daughter as they both made their way across the room.

Arwen took the seat beside Erestor and placed a hand on his arm. She was utterly relieved by the news. Arwen had tried her best to aide the child in her studies, but had discovered teaching required a set of skills that she did not possess. "Please Erestor. Eruanna needs someone with patience, one who knows the art of the word. I am a poor substitute for your wisdom and skill."

Elrond followed his daughter's encouraging words with his own reassurances. "And as for your duties, I will see to it that you will not be overburdened. There are others in this house that can take on the more routine responsibilities," he raised a hand to halt Erestor's protest, "at least for the next few years. After that, I assure you; you may return to organizing the dinner menu and staff schedules, but for now, allow another to do so. You have gifts that are better suited to this task."

Arwen nodded in agreement. "Yes," she laughed, turning smiling eyes on Erestor, "and I will finally be able to request my favorite meal without enduring your disapproving glare." Arwen smiled at the face the counselor made.

"Indeed." Erestor frowned at the thought of having to eat sweet cakes and honey wine for dinner. It was no kind of meal for grown edhil, and yet, the Lady Arwen insisted on requesting the meal at least once every few years. Erestor had kept her requests to a minimum these last two millennia but now he feared that Arwen would take advantage of the kitchen staff if he was not there to monitor the meal schedule.

Looking back and forth between the smiling faces of his Lord and Lady, he admitted defeat. After all, Erestor loved teaching and the scholar in him was curious to compare the different learning styles of full elves, half elves and quarter elves. _I may even be able to write a treatise on the subject._ "I will agree to this only on a trial basis. If she is not a serious student I will not waste my energies on tutoring her. She will have to put forth an effort."

"Of course, Erestor." Lord Elrond nodded in agreement. "If she decides she is not willing to follow your instruction, you will not be forced to continue lessons."

"Very well." Erestor nodded.

"Shall I call her in, ada?" Arwen stood, motioning to the doorway to the antechamber where Eruanna waited.

Elrond nodded his assent, "Please."

Arwen walked to the door and called the elleth in, "Eruanna, please come in."

Eruanna entered Lord Elrond's private study. She struggled to control her anxiety and suppress the nervous ringing of her hands. She did not meet Arwen's eyes in fear the Lady would be angered by Lord Erestor's suggestion that another take over her lessons.

Lord Elrond smiled at the nervous elleth. "Take a seat, Eruanna."

Eruanna followed the Lord's instruction and took the empty chair at Lord Erestor's side. She turned briefly to the counselor who gave her a tiny encouraging smile. Elrond's voice drew her attention.

"Lord Erestor has brought it to my attention that you wish some instruction on languages." Elrond studied the young one's reaction to his words. She glanced, hesitantly at Arwen who gave the young elleth a kind, understanding smile.

Arwen's smile comforted Eruanna. She had feared the Lady would be upset for having told Lord Erestor she needed a new instructor. "Yes, Lord Elrond. I want to be able to read all of the books in the library."

Elrond saw hope sparkle in the young one's eyes, causing the corners of his mouth to turn up in an unguarded smile. The child had found her way under the elf Lord's skin this past year. Her smiling face brought a joy to his heart he'd not felt for some time.

"I am glad to hear it." He leaned back in his chair and looked to the ellon sitting to her right. "I have appointed Erestor as your teacher. He has instructed many in this house including Arwen and her brothers. He's agreed to take you on as his student, but only on the condition that you take seriously this opportunity given to you. If you decide you do not wish to continue with lessons or if you do not follow Erestor's instruction, the lessons will cease."

Eruanna sat forward in her chair, her voice emphatic. "I want to learn. I will work hard, Lord Elrond, I promise."

The determination in her voice reminded Elrond of a pair of young elflings he'd once known- when he first gave them permission to study archery. "Good. Then perhaps we should arrange a time." Elrond looked at the counselor knowing full well the old ellon already had a plan of study mapped out in his head for the child.

"I believe afternoons would be best." Erestor addressed Eruanna directly. "You will meet me in the library each day after lunch during the weekdays. I will not require you to meet with me on weekends, though I may give you assignments to be completed during that time."

A broad smile formed on Eruanna's face. She could barely contain her elation that the great lore master had agreed to tutor her. "Do we begin tomorrow?" Her voice held much excitement.

Erestor's worries faded with the joy emanating from the tiny elleth and the light that lit her eyes at the thought of learning. It had been a long time since Erestor had seen such passion in a student and the scholar and teacher in him hoped it would last. "Tomorrow, we will begin."


	9. Elven pride

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 9 – Elven pride**

**Third Age 2260**

"It was hubris, Erestor, nothing more, nothing less." Eruanna argued.

The lore master mused on his student's passionate rebuttal. Eruanna could become quite forceful with her opinions at times. It was Erestor's job to see that her passion was tempered by wisdom, the wisdom that came from intense study and the shared experience of her elders. "Explain."

"He believed himself to be above the wisdom of the Valar, above Manwë and Yavanna. If he had heeded Yavanna's words the trees would have been restored and the Noldor would not have followed him to their doom."

Erestor thought long on her answer before prodding her further. "So, you believe an edhel can be other than the way Ilúvatar made him?"

Eruanna raised a brow at Erestor's new angle of attack. No matter how hard she studied for one of her teacher's exams he would always ask her some ridiculous question to throw her off balance. It had taken a few years but she'd learned to play her teacher's game. She answered his question with another. "You blame Ilúvatar for his pride?"

"No, not for his pride, but the great creator blessed him with many gifts, perhaps too many for a single ellon to possess." Erestor had long wondered if that were true as he'd never known an ellon that rivaled even the faintest memory of the great Noldo.

Eruanna shook her head emphatically. "All you are doing is making excuses for him. His talents would have come to naught had not the Valar taught him, and if Mahtan had not apprenticed him, the silmarils may have never been wrought."

"You think not?" Erestor challenged.

Eruanna refused to back down. "I said so, didn't I?"

Erestor folded his hands. He knew that his pupil would not be swayed from her position. "So you believe you understand him?"

Eruanna shook her head. If there was one thing she was certain of it was that she did not understand any part of this tale. It upset her greatly. "On the contrary, I understand nothing about him, not the hate in his heart or the avarice of his soul. That he would take the light of the trees fashioned for all in Aman to behold, and hoard it away as if it belonged to him alone. I understand none of it."

Erestor smiled at his young pupil. He could sense that their discussion had upset her, though she hid her emotions well. "You are pure of heart, Eruanna, a true daughter of the Teleri. The elves of Alqualondë would no doubt have agreed with your description of Fëanor, ere he came to their city and slew them."

The elf Lord placed a reassuring hand on the young one's shoulder and she instinctively recoiled from his touch. Erestor withdrew the hand quickly, having momentarily forgotten himself.

Eruanna shrank at the unexpected contact, but quickly regained her composure. She felt her neck flush from embarrassment. Eruanna tried hard these last several years to control her response to physical contact but she was not always successful. She feared she'd offended Erestor by her response to his kind gesture. Her eyes fell to the floor. "Sorry."

Erestor waved her apology away. "Do not worry yourself." He glanced out the window. "It grows late and I believe we are done for the day. We will soon hear the ringing of the dinner bell." Erestor proceeded to collect the books and scrolls spread across the large table.

Eruanna remained in her seat studying Lord Erestor for a moment before finding courage enough to question him. "Are all Teleri such poor students of lore?"

Erestor did not know from where this question arose. "What mean you?"

Eruanna sighed. After so many hours spent studying the histories of Fëanor, she had not performed as well as she'd hoped. "I have not performed as well as I should. I did not have the answers you sought."

Erestor sat himself on the edge of the table, facing Eruanna. She believed she'd disappointed him and he was quick to dispel her doubts. Erestor responded to her statement with deepest sincerity. "You performed better in this oral than any student I have before instructed." Erestor watched the child's eyes widen in disbelief at his proclamation. He shook his head. "Only Ilúvatar knows for certain what dwelled in Fëanor's heart. That you know the limits of your understanding is good. You have done well."

Eruanna was speechless. Never before had any given her such praise. She bowed her head, "Thank you, Lord Erestor."

Erestor nearly reached out to the child once more before catching himself. "Now, you are dismissed. Take some rest before dinner."

Eruanna stood, nodded to her teacher and left the library behind. She headed to the gardens, eager to share with the trees and sparrows her great success.

* * *

Lord Glorfindel arrived at the library in search of Erestor. He saw the ellon in his usual spot, clearing a pile of books off the table. His friend's expression was troubled. Glorfindel sidled up to the other ellon, opening one of the books Erestor had not yet replaced on the shelf.

"Lessons over for the day?" Glorfindel watched his friend silently reshelve the books. Erestor seemed preoccupied and did not answer his question.

"What is wrong my friend?" Glorfindel implored. Erestor merely shook his head but his friend would have none of it. Glorfindel grabbed the ellon's shoulder and pushed him down into a chair. "Sit down."

Erestor growled at the ellon who had just shoved him unceremoniously into a chair. The look Erestor gave his companion told him he'd do well not to _seat _Erestor again. The expression must have amused Glorfindel, for the ellon laughed at him. Glorfindel repeated his question before the counselor had the chance to snap at the seneschal.

"What is wrong?" Glorfindel was now truly concerned about his old friend. Erestor was a wise scholar and counselor, true, but he'd once been a great warrior. Under normal circumstances Erestor would not have been so easily outmaneuvered, even by the great Balrog Slayer.

Erestor turned his face to the large window. He watched Eruanna head down the path towards the garden. A tired sigh escaped him. "It is the child."

Glorfindel's eyes smiled. "Did she not perform well on your exam?" Erestor always blamed himself if his students performed poorly.

Erestor shook his head. _If only it were that simple_. "On the contrary, she is very bright. I have not had so great a student in a very long time."

Glorfindel was surprised by Erestor's praise. Not that he doubted the peredhel's abilities. After all, Elrond was one of the wisest and most learned beings in Middle Earth. It was _Erestor_ that surprised him. The old ellon did not give praise freely. It took a long time for one to prove worthy of the counselor's esteem. And if Erestor acknowledged her talents so casually, they must be great indeed. "If it is not her academic achievements that distress you, then what has?"

"I have been working with her for several years and yet…" Erestor had a difficult time finding the right words. "She is so…fearful. I don't understand it. I have given her no reason to be afraid of me. I learned early on in our time together not to sit too close to her or touch her but it is so unnatural. Sometimes I forget myself."

Glorfindel remembered his encounter with the young one in the garden. He understood his friend's confusion well. Glorfindel felt a twinge of guilt at not having asked after the elleth since that strange encounter. He'd left the puzzling out of her disturbing behavior to Arwen and her father. The speed and ease with which she'd integrated into the household had lulled him into believing all was well. It made him wonder why Erestor would be troubled by her behavior now. "What brought this up?"

Erestor adjusted the hem of his sleeve, smoothing out the wrinkles on the cloth. He rubbed the fingers of his hand together, the hand he'd placed on Eruanna's shoulder. "I wished to assure her she'd done well. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she withdrew as if burned. After, she would not meet my eyes and apologized as if she'd done wrong. I have heard others speak of similar incidents. They think it just another one of her peculiarities..." The counselor's words trailed off.

Glorfindel shook his head. It upset him to know the child suffered such fear still. As he'd suspected by her reaction to him in the garden, there was more to it then being startled from a dream.

Erestor watched his friend's thoughts turn inward. A flurry of emotions could be seen in the ellon's eyes. Erestor's curiosity piqued. "Do you know something of this?"

A sad expression clouded Glorfindel's handsome face. "I told this to no one but Arwen." He folded his arms across his chest and related an abbreviated version of his encounter with Eruanna. "When she first came to Imladris, the day her grandfather returned to Mirkwood, the child fell asleep in the garden. I woke her. Her reaction was not what one would expect from a young child." He stopped there not knowing how best to explain.

Erestor wore an unguarded expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

Glorfindel caught his friend's eyes, willing him to understand his words. "She was afraid of me, Erestor, she was afraid I would _harm_ her."

Erestor stilled a moment at the nuance of his friend's statement. He shook his head, disbelief in his heart and on his face. "How could she think that?"

Glorfindel looked away from his friend. It was a question he'd pondered that same night. "You are a clever ellon, mellon nin. Did you never wonder why her grandfather left her in Elrond's care, why she left Mirkwood?"

Erestor felt shame hit him hard. The truth was he'd not thought on it much at all. He'd merely assumed her grandparents thought the Peredhel a more appropriate guardian and teacher than they. He'd not stopped to consider anything else. "You cannot believe that someone hurt her. Eruanna was raised in Mirkwood, by elves."

Glorfindel picked up a book that lay near him on the table. He opened it to a harrowing illustration of Dior slain, of Doriath laid to ruin. "You of all people should know what an edhel is capable of, if there be enough hate in his heart."

Erestor raised a hand to his face. A troubled gesture he'd long ago learned to suppress while in councils and war room meetings. This time he could not hold back the motion. "I hear your words, but they are difficult to believe." _Difficult, try impossible! How could anyone bring harm to that dear, sweet child? _

Erestor knew he was himself guilty of believing Eruanna odd when they first met, but now he could not imagine his afternoons without her. "I admit to finding the child strange when first she arrived in Imladris, but never did I feel any violence toward her, nor can I imagine how any other could do so."

Glorfindel's mind drifted back to his first and only trip to Mirkwood in the company of the young Lords of Imladris. The reception the sons of Elrond received was less than cordial. "She was raised among elves that hate Elrond. The one and only time Elladan, Elrohir and I traveled there they were not exactly welcomed with open arms. Whispers of hate followed us everywhere. And they are Lords, the children of Celebrian, of Galadriel and Celeborn. I fear to imagine how an orphaned peredhel of common birth would be treated in such a place."

Erestor took his friend's words to heart. He peered out the window. Eruanna had disappeared into the garden, her second favorite place after the library. He hoped that whatever experiences plagued her would cease their torment, that her fear would fade away, and that one day she would find peace.


	10. 100 years

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 10 - 100 Years**

**Third Age 2577 **

_**Part 1 – Gifts**_

Eruanna spun 'round in a circle, holding the most beautiful green and gold gown she'd ever seen. "Oh, Arwen, I've never seen anything so beautiful!"

Arwen shared in Eruanna's joy at the beautiful gift. "It is lovely. You will be the most beautiful elleth at the ball."

Eruanna shook her head. "I think _you_ will still be the most beautiful, but perhaps I will be second." She spun once more before turning back to the one who'd given her the gift. "Thank you, Lord Elrond." She rushed the elf Lord and hugged him tightly, forgetting herself in her joy.

Elrond returned the hug she gave him and placed a kiss on the top of her head. She looked up at him and Elrond's heart smiled at the joy he saw in the young one's eyes, though in truth, he thought a mere dress little reason for such jubilance. "An elleth needs a new dress for her Coming of Age celebration. I chose Arwen's dress, a long time ago."

Arwen smiled, remembering the beautiful gown her father had given her on her 100th begetting day. She spoke to Eruanna "Ada is known far and wide as a wise scholar and healer, but his fine taste in apparel is truly his most underestimated quality."

Eruanna laughed at Arwen's playful humor. She took in the expression Lord Elrond gave his daughter – a look of mock displeasure that only functioned to deepen Eruanna's amusement. Elrond turned on her then, a large smile spreading across his face as she tried desperately to suppress her laughter.

"We have another surprise for you, Eruanna." Elrond nodded to his daughter who moved to the side door and quietly left the room.

Eruanna shook her head, "You have already given me so much. I need nothing else."

Elrond gave Eruanna a gentle smile. She was so very humble. "I think this gift you will enjoy even more than the dress."

Eruanna turned around at the sound of the door swinging open. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw who stood there.

"Grandfather, grandmother! You're here!" She ran to them, throwing her arms around Ithilwen as she'd done as a child. Haldor joined in their embrace, kissing Eruanna on the top of her head. Tears flowed freely from the eyes all three of them.

Ithilwen could barely speak through her tears. She took Eruanna's face in her hands, drawing the elleth's face to hers. "Oh, child, look at you!" She kissed Eruanna on both cheeks and hugged her tightly once more. "Oh, my darling child, how I've missed you!"

Haldor brushed his granddaughter's hair away from her face, lifting her chin to study her more closely. Her face was exactly as he remembered it, but her eyes and demeanor were much changed. She was not a child anymore. "You look so grown up." He stated finally. Turning to Arwen, he addressed the Lady. "Is this your doing, my Lady?"

Arwen smiled at Haldor, shaking her head. "Hardly, it is Eruanna who has done the growing in both mind and spirit. I merely guided her along the way."

Eruanna smiled at Arwen before returning her attention to her grandparents. She was so elated to see her loved ones again she could barely contain her excitement. She felt like an elfling once more. "I have so much to tell you!" She looked back and forth between her grandparents. "When did you get here? How long will you be staying?" The words came out in a rush.

"Peace, child." Haldor laughed, holding up a hand to silence her. "We arrived late last night with a party on their way to the Gray Havens." Haldor smiled down at Eruanna holding her by her shoulders. "We will get to the rest of those questions later. There is plenty of time." He glanced over at Lord Elrond a moment before returning his attention to Eruanna. "Why don't you and Lady Arwen show your grandmother to our room? I must speak with Lord Elrond. I will join you shortly."

Eruanna glanced back at Lord Elrond who gave her a small nod. The three ellith left the room arm in arm, Eruanna in the center, gossiping cheerfully as they went.

* * *

_**Part 2 – The Celebration**_

Eruanna had not stopped dancing all night. One ellon after another spun her around the room until she found herself becoming dizzy. Haldor had the first dance, of course. He led Eruanna gracefully in her first dance as a full member of elven society. It was a difficult moment for Haldor as it was for every parent – acknowledging that their baby was a child no longer.

After a long round of dancing, the feast began. Lindir himself provided the entertainment, singing a lay traditionally performed when elves reached majority.

As the meal drew to an end Elrond stood to intone the blessing. All eyes turned to him as he lifted his glass to the young elleth sitting beside Arwen. "Tonight, we celebrate a member of this house who has passed the threshold into adulthood. These last thirty years Eruanna has been a gift from the arms of Ilúvatar. Her light and passion lift the spirits of those who cross her path. Even more, it is she who drove off the cloud of sadness that hung about this house these past hundred years, and for that, we shall be eternally grateful. Eruanna shall dwell forever in our hearts, no matter where her path should lead her. We thank Ilúvatar for sending her to us and we ask that he bless her with a life of unmeasured joy and happiness. Let it be so." He raised the glass and all in the room followed suit. They drank to Eruanna's happiness and once every glass was drained- the minstrels began playing anew, drawing ellyn and ellith back onto the floor.

Eruanna was pulled back onto the floor by her friend and mentor, Erestor. Elrond watched the pair spin around the room. Eruanna laughed merrily at whatever it was Erestor said to her. When the dance was finished Eruanna gave Erestor a warm hug and the ellon placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"She's come a long way these thirty years." Elrond's eyes were drawn back to his daughter, who sat beside him still.

"Yes," he replied. "There was a time she would not have allowed an ellon to touch her let alone kiss her, but time heals many wounds." A question sprang to Elrond's mind that he'd been meaning to ask his daughter. "Has she decided on a path?"

Arwen smiled lightly, "Do you even need to ask?" She raised a brow looking over to where Eruanna stood, her arm wrapped in Erestor's, speaking to a pair of visiting Mithlond scholars who' recently arrived. "She wishes to continue her studies with Erestor."

Elrond looked over at the group of edhil who appeared to be in deep discussion over something or another.

"You should ask her for a dance," Arwen suggested.

It was the very thing Elrond had been debating all night. There were several unrelated reasons that normally kept him from the dance floor, the most powerful of which being that he hadn't danced since Celebrían abandoned Middle Earth. He'd never enjoyed dancing, but his wife had always found a way to persuade him onto the floor. Elrond did not have long to ponder his desires, for Eruanna appeared quietly at his side.

Eruanna nodded politely to the Lord and Lady before addressing Lord Elrond, "Will you dance with me, Lord Elrond? I've grown tired of debating the merits of Tengwar with Erestor and his companions."

Elrond looked into those smiling eyes and found himself unable to refuse. He stood and, taking her hand in his, led her onto the dance floor. The couple picked up the rhythm of the music and began twirling about the room. Eruanna's face grew serious as she looked up into the elf Lord's face, "Thank you, Lord Elrond."

Elrond was finally settling into their dance when she thanked him. "For what, my dear?" He looked down into her dark eyes which glistened with unshed tears.

Eruanna tried to find the right words to explain, but found it difficult to organize her thoughts. _What was she **not** grateful for?_ "For taking me in, for giving me a home, offering me protection," she paused, "and for letting me know I'm not alone." A single tear rolled down her cheek. She rested her head on Elrond's chest in an attempt to hide them from any onlookers.

Elrond gave Eruanna a comforting hug. "You are not alone, Eruanna. You will never be alone." The elleth lifted her head from his chest and Elrond found himself graced with the purest, most sincere expression that he could ever recall. In that moment, she looked so beautiful, so happy. For the first time since he last held Celebrian in his arms, an emotion he'd believed lost warmed Elrond's heart.

A wave of guilt passed through him and he stepped back from his dance partner, putting some space between them. "I shall retire now." He stated abruptly, though Eruanna seemed not to have noticed the abrupt change in his demeanor.

Eruanna reached up on tip toe and placed a kiss on Elrond's cheek. "Thank you again, for everything," she said, before moving to rejoin Erestor on the other side of the room.

Elrond forced himself to turn away as Eruanna glided across the room, taking Erestor's arm once more. Without so much as a goodnight to his daughter, he fled the hall, seeking the peaceful sanctuary of his private rooms.

* * *

_**Part 3 – The Balrog Slayer**_

Predatory eyes followed her from the shadows. One elf after another danced her around the room. Joy shone from her face. She looked beautiful- clothed in green silks, her head crowned with flowers.

He watched Lord Elrond take her hand. The elleth laughed in his arms and he smiled down on her. Her face fell as the dance continued. Something in their conversation brought tears to her eyes. She rested her head on his chest and the elf Lord wrapped her in a warm embrace. The song ended and she kissed him before moving to join the dark haired ellon, the counselor, once more. Lord Elrond left the hall, followed not long after by Haldor and his wife.

No eyes were upon him.

He found himself walking toward her, intent upon his prey. He tapped the elleth on her shoulder. She spun 'round, her bright eyes darkening as they met the face of her tormenter. "May I have this dance?"

Erestor turned his attention to the Mirkwood warden who'd come upon them, asking Eruanna for a dance. Very few of the elves who'd accompanied Haldor and Ithilwen from Mirkwood had attended the celebration. "Of course she will," he answered for Eruanna, "It is bad luck for the guest of honor to say no to a dance."

If Erestor had not indulged himself in so much wine, he may have noticed the effect this new arrival had on his young apprentice. As it stood, he noticed nothing and turned back to his companions leaving Eruanna with no escape.

Feredir looked into Eruanna's eyes; her former joy had abandoned them. He pulled Eruanna against him and back onto the dance floor. He held the small elleth tightly as he danced her 'round in a circle. "It has been some time…," he began, "you look quite beautiful tonight."

Eruanna tried to pull away from the ellon but he crushed her hand in his and she ceased her struggle. She said nothing to him as they moved about the room with the other dancing couples.

Feredir said no more to his partner for the remainder of the song. When the music ceased Eruanna attempted to pull away from him but he held her fast. "Take a walk with me in the garden."

Eruanna shook her head and as she did so pain shot through her forearm. Feredir held her in an iron grip, crushing her bones and drawing a small cry from her that went unheard by the noisy crowd.

"I won't take no for an answer." Feredir wrapped Eruanna's arm in his, being sure to put pressure on her wrist so she would not cause a scene. He led her out of the hall and out into the starlit garden.

Glorfindel arrived at Eruanna's begetting day celebration much later than he'd intended. He'd spent the last month visiting border outposts, ensuring the wardens there had not fallen asleep on the job. He'd managed to surprise two wardens on the northern border. He'd walked right up to their encampment while they slept and placed a blade on each exposed throat. He'd then proceeded to lecture the duo, blades still drawn, on how not to get oneself killed while on watch. It was a lesson he didn't think the pair would forget any time soon. It was also, truth be told, the most enjoyable part of Glorfindel's otherwise boring survey of the realm's defenses.

He'd missed dinner but the revelers were still going strong. Much wine had been consumed this eve as was evident by the many empty bottles and the free laughter that escaped the more reserved members of Elrond's house. Even Erestor seemed particularly gay this evening, laughing heartily with his companions. He searched the hall for Eruanna and saw her in the company of a light haired ellon dressed in Mirkwood fashion.

Glorfindel had many gifts that aided him as chief guardian of Imladris, including a keen and observant eye. The moment his gaze fell on the pair he knew something was wrong. The ellon held Eruanna closer than was appropriate for this particular dance. The grip on her hand was too tight, not relaxed as it should be. Even had he not noticed these things, the look on Eruanna's face was enough to alert him to trouble. He'd seen that fearful expression before on her sweet face, that day, years ago, in the garden. Before he could take off in their direction, the ellon ushered her out of the hall. Glorfindel made his way through the crowd in pursuit, which was no easy task as each ellon and elleth he bumped into along the way wished to welcome him back with a hug, a kiss, or a tall mug of mead. He reached the other side of the room and managed along the way to catch Erestor's attention.

"Come with me, now!" The tone of Glorfindel's voice brooked no argument and Erestor came to his side immediately.

Erestor's slightly inebriated mind sobered quickly from the intensity of his friend's statement. "What is wrong?" he asked, concerned. He fell into stride with the slightly taller ellon and followed him into the garden.

"It's Eruanna. One of the visitors from Mirkwood pulled her into the garden. I do not think she wished to go with him." Glorfindel fell silent as he studied the ground, easily spotting Eruanna's footprints in the dirt. He moved quickly along the path, Erestor trailing a few steps behind.

Feredir pulled Eruanna into a secluded grove. Grabbing her roughly by her upper arms, he slammed her small form into the trunk of a tree. "So here I find you, dressed in fine clothes, living in luxury."

Eruanna was forced to catch her breath for the impact forced the air from her lungs. The rage she saw in Feredir's eyes silenced any response she may have made.

"I was demoted two ranks because of you." He wrapped his hand in her hair jerking her head up to face him. "A thousand years of hard work swept away, all because some stupid child could not hold her tongue."

Eruanna was on the verge of tears when she spotted the most miraculous sight in all of Arda. In his rage, Feredir had not heard the two ellyn approaching. Glorfindel moved faster than she'd thought possible, grabbing Feredir in a crushing choke hold. Eruanna fell to the ground when Feredir, startled by the sudden attack, released his hold on her.

Glorfindel threw the ellon to the ground. Enraged at the sight he'd just witnessed, he spit venomous words at Eruanna's attacker. "What in Arda do you think you're doing?"

Feredir clutched at his throat and took several painful breaths. He looked up at the unfamiliar ellon. He did not make to answer the stranger's question for he could not have spoken at that moment even had he wished to. His eyes darted from the strange ellon to Eruanna, whom the counselor had picked up off the ground.

Glorfindel did not take his eyes off of the Mirkwood elf when next he spoke. "Take her back to the house, Erestor."

Erestor glanced nervously at his friend who shook in silent rage. The counselor prayed that Glorfindel found some measure of control quickly. This pathetic ellon was not prepared for the Balrog Slayer's wrath. Erestor wrapped Eruanna in his cloak and pulled her away from the scene. Whatever was about to happen, the child did not need to be witness to it. "Come child."

Eruanna's eyes did not leave Lord Glorfindel as Erestor pulled her away towards the house. He towered over a stunned Feredir- a mountain of rage. Eruanna wished that she could invoke such terror in those that would harm her.

Glorfindel stared murderously at the ellon as he slowly climbed to his feet. He waited until the warden reached a mostly erect position, leaning heavily on the trunk of a tree, before driving his fist squarely into the ellon's face. The sound of braking bone echoed in the canopy and was followed swiftly by the sound of a second blow that drove the ellon back to his knees.

Grabbing the stunned ellon by the hair, Glorfindel lifted him back to his feet and struck him once more, sending his body back into the tree. He stopped his assault then, pleased with the look of mingled shock and fear the young warden gave him.

"I will say this once and only once," Glorfindel's voice held no anger for indeed he'd unleashed it all in the three vicious blows he landed on the Mirkwood elf. "If you should ever so much as think of bringing harm to that child again, there shall be one more kinslaying before the ending of the world. I will see to it." The Mirkwood elf blanched as the reality of Glorfindel's words sunk in. The ellon seemed to finally recover his voice and made one wasted threat.

"I shall report this incident to the Seneshal of this house. Lord Glorfindel will see to it you are punished for this unprovoked attack on a Mirkwood envoy."

Glorfindel smiled at the ellon's foolish and terribly amusing threat. "Will he? I think not. _I_ think he just broke your nose and threatened to end your life. You would do well to heed his words." Understanding crept slowly into the warden's eyes. _That's right fool, you just got pummeled by the great Balrog Slayer_. "Be gone in the morning. You are not welcome in this land."

And with that, Glorfindel turned back to the house. His infuriated spirit had calmed some but before he could be completely at peace, he needed to check on Eruanna. Striding swiftly down the path, he reached a hand into his pocket, wrapping it around a small package. He had a begetting day gift to deliver.

* * *

_**Part 4 – First Sight**_

Elrond could not sleep. He pulled himself out of bed, donned a warm, comfortable robe and entered his study. He lit a fire in the hearth and sat himself in his favorite chair. Elrond's hands drew around his face in a silent, defeated gesture. The elf Lord's turmoil grew as he lay awake in bed for the past several hours. It was not noise that prevented him from sleeping. The joy-filled echoes from Eruanna's begetting day celebration had long ago died down. It was his own confused emotions that prevented him from finding rest. And so, he'd returned to his favorite chair for some quiet contemplation. He stared long into the flames, trying to deny what his heart already knew. That feeling he'd had, holding Eruanna in his arms, he'd experienced such emotion before - a moment of complete and utter contentment. It had been a long time since he'd felt such and it tore at his soul that in that moment he'd forgotten his sadness, forgotten _her_. His mind drifted; a flood of memories vied for precedence, some sad, some happy, among them two memories surfaced, one of such unbearable sadness Elrond had doubted his heart would ever recover and a second memory, so joyous, so distinct in his mind, he could divide his life by it….

**Second Age 1702**

Elrond stood at the gates of his house anxiously awaiting their arrival. It had been less than a year since he'd last seen the Lord and Lady and their visit was much anticipated by the members of his household. Elrond stood, tall and proud, when the party passed through the gates. He stepped forward, bowing deeply to his guests before descending the terrace steps. Elrond took Lady Galadriel's hand in his and placed a kiss on her porcelain skin. Turning then to Lord Celeborn, he clasped the ellon's arm in a warrior's embrace.

"Welcome to Imladris, my Lord and Lady."

The two graceful beings greeted Elrond in kind. After their own welcomes had been exchanged Lady Galadriel turned to their attending company and motioned an elleth forward. She had long silvery blond hair and the most startlingly blue eyes. Elrond had never seen a more radiant creature in all his life. His heart was struck still by the sight of her, such was her beauty.

"Lord Elrond, may I introduce our daughter, Lady Celebrían."

Elrond held out his hand and placed yet another kiss on soft pale skin. He could not remember what words he spoke to her in that moment for his heart pounded with a fierceness he'd never known. Elrond motioned for the members of his house to escort the new arrivals to their quarters. He watched her retreating form even as she disappeared into the hall. The elf Lord took a trembling breath, aware in that moment that the world had changed, forever….

Elrond wandered the moonlit paths in an attempt to still his restless thoughts. It had been many weeks since the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn first set foot in Imladris and still, Elrond could not breathe when she came within his sight. Elrond knew full well that those close to him had noticed his strange behavior. That very day, Erestor confronted him about it and Elrond had attempted, unsuccessfully, to brush off his friend's careful concern.

Elrond took a seat on a beautifully carved stone bench, studying the flowers that grew around its base, when the words that had been running through his mind since he first laid eyes on Celebrían sounded in the small glade.

"She is above you."

Elrond's head rose to meet the piercing gaze of Lord Celeborn who stood, watching him. "My Lord?"

Celeborn turned his gaze to the ground where the spring ephemerals sprang forth, showering the land with their splendor. They reminded him much of his daughter. He'd watched Elrond in silence these many weeks; how the ellon's eyes followed his beloved child whenever she came across his path. Elrond's eyes spoke loudly of desire, desire for something which Celeborn thought him unworthy. The elf Lord decided to put a stop to it now before things went any further. "You are my friend Elrond Eärendilion, we have fought together against great evil," he paused, watching his companion closely, "but I will not give my daughter to you. She is above you."

"Is she?" Elrond whispered, not meeting Celeborn's eyes.

It was the very question Elrond himself had pondered these last few weeks. Elrond, himself, doubted his worth in regards to such a radiant maiden. But still, a secret part of him dared to hope that he could prove himself worthy of her. After all, was he not, too, descended from the House of Finwë? Was he not the son of those who'd saved the peoples of Middle Earth from Morgoth by sailing into the West, braving the Valar's wrath in doing so? Was he not the heir of High King Gil-galad, a lauded warrior, noted scholar, and bearer of a ring of power? If such an ellon was unworthy of Celebrían's hand, who in Middle Earth could be? Some of these thoughts spilled from his lips. "Are we not of the same house? Are we not both descendants of Finwë? And you, my Lord, are we not both Elwë's kin?"

Celeborn shook his head. No matter how much truth there was in Elrond's words, he would not back down on this. It was not, after all, Elrond's elven parentage that Celeborn held in question. He looked at the being before him now, one who possessed the character of both elves and men. Celeborn would not allow his daughter's light to be dimmed by this half-elven Lord, as he knew in his heart it would be. "Her light will diminish, should she bind herself to you. I will not allow that to happen."

Elrond pondered the elf Lord's words. He wondered if indeed such would be Celebrían's fate should she chose to marry him. A rather worried thought sprang to the forefront of his mind. "Has the Lady foreseen this?"

Celeborn's expression grew grim. His wife had said nothing these past few weeks whenever he'd brought up the subject of their daughter and Elrond. He'd had no indication as to his wife's feelings about the pair, nor had she spoken any ill omens. It mattered not. Some things in this world were certain and needed no magic to predict. "I need no mirror to know what's best for my daughter."

Celeborn watched Elrond's expression grow distant. He did not wish to hurt his friend, but he could not allow him to carry false hope. Celeborn took a seat beside the ellon, following the direction of Elrond's gaze as he stared up at the stars. He wished to make Elrond understand his decision. "There is great evil still lurking in this world and I fear it may rise yet again. I will that Celebrían should sail across the sea where the evils of this world cannot touch her."

"And your daughter, what are her thoughts on this?" Elrond asked with genuine curiosity.

"She will obey her father." Celeborn stated flatly.

Elrond thought on that for some time before a small smile reached his lips. He looked to Celeborn who had taken a seat beside him. "Lady Galadriel did not heed her father's wishes, when she returned to Middle Earth."

Celeborn gave his companion a sharp look but was unable to refute Elrond's observation. Celebrían was much like her mother and Celeborn knew that neither elleth could be swayed once their course was set. That was why he'd chosen to speak with Elrond now, before it was too late.

Elrond studied the elf Lord sitting beside him, knowing what it was he'd left unspoken. For once, Elrond wished not to ignore this truth, no matter how much pain it brought him. "You do not wish to give her to one of mortal heritage." It was not a question but a statement; one that Elrond knew in his heart was true.

Celeborn's calm expression wavered. He'd wanted to avoid this very topic, but Elrond had now made it unavoidable. "You'd know I was lying if I said you were wrong."

Elrond looked down at his hands and the ring Gil-galad had passed on to him. His thoughts strayed to earlier times, younger, innocent days. A secret he'd shared before with no one but the wind escaped him. "In my younger days I believed I would find one like myself, as my mother and father found each other, but now," he shook his head, fighting back the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him, "I fear I shall be alone, forever."

**Third Age 108**

"You are a difficult ellon to corner, Lord Elrond." Celebrían peered out from behind the column leading up to Elrond's private terrace. She'd been hunting the elusive ellon for days trying to find him alone, but each time she'd come close to cornering him, he'd eluded her.

Elrond was startled from his reading by the sound of a mischievous female voice. He spied Lady Celebrían hiding behind a large column, all but her head hidden from sight. She did not wait for an invitation to climb the marble steps but did so of her own accord and took a seat across from him.

Elrond finally found his voice and offered the Lady his apologies. "Lady Celebrían, forgive me, I did not hear your approach."

"I know it." She smiled coyly at the ellon before her, "For when you do, you find some reason to be elsewhere."

Elrond's eyes widened at her startlingly accurate interpretation of his behavior. He'd tried in vain these long years to forget the object of his heart's desire and had spent much time and effort avoiding the Lady's presence. But each time he'd seen her over the millennia his feelings for her had faded not one bit.

"Why do you seek to avoid me, Lord Elrond? Is my presence so very displeasing to you?" The Lady asked with raised brows.

Elrond studied Celebrían carefully. He detected no anger or sadness in her voice, and her eyes, so very much like her mother's, spoke of an elleth's indiscernible wisdom. Anger grew within him then, for he had no desire for this creature to play games with his heart. "You know the answer to those questions, why do you ask them of me?" The words came out harsher than he'd intended.

Celebrían's face fell slightly at Elrond's clipped tone. She'd not meant to upset him with her words but had honestly wished to hear his answer. Her face grew sad and she did not meet his eyes when she answered him. "There was a time I thought you favored me, a time I thought that you held me in your heart." She sighed, smoothing the fabric of her dress over her knees as she admitted in a whisper. "I merely wish to know why you turned away."

Elrond could feel his heart crumbling with each word Celebrían spoke. He'd tried so hard to rid himself of his longing for her he'd not stopped to imagine that Celebrían returned such feelings.

He took a deep steadying breath before looking into her lovely face. _How his heart ached simply to look upon her!_ Her flawless grace brought a new wave of guilt crashing over his soul. He was not worthy of such beauty. His voice came out just above a whisper. "I am unworthy of you, my Lady."

Celebrían's heart ached at the sadness held within those words. _How could she make him see they were untrue?_ She rose then and took a seat beside him, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his form. She tentatively grasped one of his hands, squeezing it tightly. "Have I no say in this?"

Her eyes begged that he would say she did. When he remained silent, she lifted his hand to her cheek drawing his eyes to hers. "You are more than worthy, Elrond, Lord of Imladris. Even were you not descended from the greatest elven houses in Arda, heir and Lord of the Noldo in Middle Earth - I would love you just the same." She placed a kiss on the back of his hand that now held tightly onto hers. He smiled at her then, for the first time in many years, and his eyes spoke more of the love he felt for her than any lay could capture.

From some hidden place deep within, Elrond found the courage to speak the words his heart had longed to voice. "I love you Lady Celebrían, as I have these long years, since the day we first met." He placed a kiss on the hand he held in his. Two hands bound together, until the end of days.

Celebrían stood abruptly, pulling Elrond along with her. She laughed merrily, taking both of his hands in hers. "Shall we celebrate with a dance?"

Elrond looked into the shining eyes of the elleth he'd dreamed of for so long. His heart was so light and joyous; he found himself laughing- a thing he was scarcely known for. Celebrían's suggestion brought a look of uncertainty to his face. "There is no music."

Celebrían smiled at the ellon's genuinely confused expression. "Is there not?" She took a step closer to him and placed a small hand on his chest. "Perhaps you do not listen closely enough, Elrond Peredhel. Do you not hear your heart sing as mine does?"

Elrond lifted trembling hands, one to clasp the elleth's waist the other to cover the hand she'd placed on his heart. The smile she gave him seeped into the deepest depths of his being, washing away the pain and loneliness that for too long had dwelled there. They began to dance, gliding around the terrace, swaying to the music of their souls.


	11. Reluctant Teachers Part Two

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 11- Reluctant Teachers –Part 2**

**Third Age 2577**

Elrond listened while Glorfindel recounted the previous night's events. The tale ended, and Glorfindel waited long for his Lord's response.

Elrond raised a hand to his face, fingers dancing absently over his chin. Guilt rose to the surface of his thoughts. _Why did I leave the party so early?_

Elrond knew, of course, that it was foolish to think things would have happened any differently had he remained in the hall. He'd had no way of knowing Feredir's intentions, and, like Erestor, could just as easily have turned his back on him.

"Where is the ellon now?" Elrond asked, anger clearly written on his face.

"I informed him he was not welcome in Rivendell. He left at first light." Glorfindel hoped that would be all his Lord asked him. He was not so lucky.

Elrond shifted his gaze to his friend's broken knuckles. "Is that all?"

Glorfindel examined his mangled hands guiltily. "I informed him of my displeasure at his behavior."

"With a closed fist, I see." Elrond noted without humor.

Glorfindel glanced at Erestor, who stood at Elrond's side, a sly smile on his face. Turning his attention back to Elrond, the Seneschal chose his words carefully. "I may have been slightly…_overzealous_."

Glorfindel waited expectantly for a reprimand but to his great surprise, none came. Glorfindel knew how dear Eruanna had become to the members of this house, to Arwen and Elrond in particular, but he never imagined he'd get off without so much as a '_try to control your temper, Glorfindel_'.

Elrond shifted his attention to the ellon who stood at his side. "Is she alright?" He could not keep the concern from his voice.

Erestor nodded. He heard the concern in his friend's question and was quick to allay his fears. "She was a bit shaken, but by the time I left her side, she appeared fine."

Erestor watched as the tension drained from Elrond's face before continuing. "I woke her grandparents when we arrived back at the house. Haldor informed me that the ellon who attacked her, Feredir, had been assigned as escort to the Gray Havens. He'd been unaware of the ellon's assignment until he and his wife arrived at the party's departure site. Haldor did not believe the warden would bother Eruanna here, in your house. It upset him greatly to find he was mistaken."

Elrond shook his head. It upset _him_ greatly that anyone would threaten a member of his house, and under his own roof, no less. "Make a note, Erestor, that Feredir of Mirkwood is not welcome within these borders."

_Not if he lay bleeding at the gates, _Glorfindel found himself adding silently.

"I think it is about time someone began her field training." Glorfindel suggested; angered that none had done so sooner. That pathetic warden should never have been able to pull Eruanna out of the hall. One good palm strike to the nose and he would have left her alone. "Eruanna was lucky last night. She will not always have others nearby to protect her."

Elrond considered his advisor's words. It was unusual for an elf younger than a century to begin studying the arts of war, but that was because they were not yet physically mature. Eruanna had long been a full grown elleth. He should have considered starting her training earlier. Not only would such knowledge have helped rebuild Eruanna's confidence, but it would have provided her with the ability to defend herself against Feredir. A tired sigh escaped the elven Lord. _It is no use thinking of what might have been_. "You are right, of course, Glorfindel. Perhaps she has focused too much on her books."

Erestor looked as though he would take affront to Elrond's comment, but the counselor remained silent.

Elrond gave the ellon at his side a gentle smile, knowing what it was that went through his head at that particular comment. "I did not mean to imply that this is your fault Erestor, merely that there are other, equally important things for her to learn."

Erestor nodded, "I agree."

Elrond rested his chin on steepled fingers. He thought back to his first meeting with Eruanna and more recent encounters in the gardens. He always knew when she was near by the fresh footprints she left behind. "She requires training in stealth as well, should she ever desire to travel abroad. Even the most inexperienced orc could track her movements now."

Glorfindel's own thoughts echoed Elrond's. He recalled the many times these past few decades that he'd come across Eruanna's tracks, perfect imprints clearly visible in Rivendell's pliant soil.

"So," Elrond sat back in his chair, addressing the ellon before him, "when do you wish to begin?"

"Me?" Glorfindel could not keep from exclaiming. He looked back and forth between the amused faces of his two closest friends.

Erestor smiled at Glorfindel. The poor ellon hadn't even realized the trap had been set.

Glorfindel collected himself and began again. "I did not mean to suggest that I should train her."

"And why not?" Elrond gave him a quizzical look. "You are the most skillful field instructor in the realm. I don't see why this task should go to anyone else."

Glorfindel knew this game well. After all, he'd been playing it for the better part of three thousand years. _You flatterer, don't try it, it won't work._ "I only meant, I think she would prefer being instructed by a female warden. She may be uncomfortable being trained by an ellon."

"That is why it must be you." Elrond stated firmly. He knew that Eruanna might be uncomfortable at first, being asked to fight an ellon, but if she was to learn to protect herself, that fear must be overcome. "Should she need such skills against an ellon or a man, I do not want her to hesitate to use them."

Glorfindel conceded the wisdom of Elrond's words, but still, he had his misgivings. It had taken many years for him to earn the child's trust and he worried that this was not the best way to maintain it.

"I know what you are thinking." Erestor spoke up, for the first time addressing Glorfindel. "She trusts you, Glorfindel. She told me last night she wished she had your skills, so to protect herself. You can give her that, mellon nin."

"And when she misses a block and I land a blow on her?" Glorfindel asked, his voice full of nervous concern.

Erestor understood his friend's concern but knew it unnecessary. "You are a better teacher than that, and besides, taking a hit on a training field is not the same as being knocked about by strangers. She will not lose her trust in you for that."

Elrond added comfort to Erestor's words. "I'm not asking you to work alone. Arwen will assist you if she requires a sparring partner, but sooner or later, she will have to become comfortable fighting ellyn."

"I…," Glorfindel began to protest, though he knew in his heart Elrond had already won. It was indeed a trap, perfectly laid.

"Don't even try it, my friend; you know there is no escape." Erestor smiled at his companion, amused by the knowledge that he, too, had now been drafted.

"I suppose not." Glorfindel shook his head, admitting defeat. He gave Erestor a mock threatening look and huffed, "Well, let us hope she picks up the arts of war as quickly as she did Quenya."

Erestor let out a heartfelt laugh, "I can make no guarantees of that."

Elrond was relieved by his Seneschal's easy assent. He'd had no desire to go to battle with the Balrog Slayer. Elrond had been certain Glorfindel would not turn his back on the child. He was glad to see his confidence in Glorfindel's decision had not been unfounded. "I will inform Arwen. Thank you, Glorfindel."

"Of course, what else does _the most skillful warrior in the realm_ have to do, but pass on his knowledge to the young?" He mocked Elrond with his Lord's own words. "I must get to the training fields before the wardens decide to take the day off."

"We can't have that, can we?" Elrond chuckled as the blond ellon made for the door.

Erestor waited for the door to close behind Glorfindel before offering up an additional suggestion. "Perhaps Haldor should be consulted on Eruanna's training. He may wish to work with her for a few weeks before Glorfindel takes over."

Elrond's well humored expression grew somber. He shook his head, sadness reaching his eyes. "I don't think that will be possible."

Erestor's brow rose at his Lord's cryptic response. "I don't understand. I was under the impression Haldor and Ithilwen were visiting for some time."

Elrond looked to his friend's concerned eyes and made to speak, hoping this knowledge would not darken the old counselor's mood. "They are departing with the Mirkwood party in a week. They are leaving Middle Earth."

A flurry of thoughts raced through Erestor's mind but one shot to the fore. "Does Eruanna know?"

A cheerless sigh escaped Elrond before he answered, "They wished to wait until after her begetting day celebration. Haldor informed me when they arrived that they would be sailing."

Erestor did not wish to ask this question, but he needed to know. "Will Eruanna be going with them?" The Lore Master's heart ached at the thought of losing his newest pupil, his newest _friend_, so soon.

Elrond felt an equal measure of sadness and uncertainty and his answer offered Erestor little comfort.

"I don't know."

* * *

"You're leaving." The words came out of her mouth, dull and lifeless.

Ithilwen sat on Eruanna's bed and took the young elleth's hand in hers. Tears sprang from Ithilwen's eyes, but only a blank expression issued from her granddaughter's. "After you were gone, the call of the sea became so strong." Ithilwen paused, but Eruanna said nothing. "So many await us in Aman; our parents, your mother. We cannot stay any longer." Ithilwen's eyes pleaded with her beloved granddaughter to understand.

Haldor, who'd been standing nearby, took a seat on the opposite side of Eruanna. He touched his granddaughter's cheek, drawing her face to his. "Come with us, Eruanna. Your mother awaits you."

Eruanna's formerly impassive aspect came to life. _Go with them?_ She shook her head. She did not wish to leave Rivendell, or Middle Earth. Eruanna had found peace here and more…she thought of Erestor and Arwen, Lord Elrond and even Lord Glorfindel…her friends, her _family_. No, she could not leave them yet.

Eruanna looked into her grandfather's eyes, misty with unshed tears. She loved him too, and her grandmother. _How could they ask her to choose?_ She did not understand why they had to leave. She did not understand this 'call of the sea'.

"I don't feel it," she stated flatly.

"What, child?" Haldor took one of her hands from Ithilwen and held it tight.

"The call of the sea." Eruanna studied her hands, wrapped tightly in those of her grandparents. She found herself unable to meet her grandfather's eyes. She loved them so much, but she could not go with them. "I'm not ready to leave." It was a strong statement, though the words were spoken softly.

Haldor heard Eruanna's quiet answer and wrapped her in a warm embrace. He looked over at his wife. Tears rolled down her fair cheeks. He kissed Eruanna's head and rocked her gently as he had many times before. "It's alright sweetheart. It is your decision- when you would sail. The ships will still be there when you're ready."

Haldor released his granddaughter to his wife, who embraced her as though she'd never see the young elleth again. "We will miss you."

Tears finally surfaced in Eruanna's eyes. Her grandfather brushed her hair back over her shoulder as she cried. "Shush child," he whispered, "I have spoken to Lord Elrond. He welcomes you to stay in Imladris, until his house sails. You will not be alone."

"I know." Eruanna choked out the words, but Haldor heard in them a strength and surety that he'd once feared had abandoned his sweet child forever.

* * *

Eruanna sat beneath her favorite tree pulling blades of grass from the cracks of its roots. She did not hear Glorfindel's approach and started at the sound of him clearing his throat.

Glorfindel attempted to get the elleth's attention without startling her. She looked so lost, staring at the ruined blades of grass as she was that he was forced to take a detour on his way to the training fields. "Are you well, child?"

Eruanna shrugged, pulling out a small white flower, drawing her knees to her chest. She looked up at Lord Glorfindel. "They wish me to go with them to Valinor."

Glorfindel was unable to contain his surprise. He'd had no indication from Elrond that Haldor and his wife were sailing. Glorfindel took a seat across from the elleth, watching as she rolled a flower stem between her fingers. "And have you come to a decision?"

Eruanna laid the flower gently on the ground. "I am not ready to go."

Glorfindel was relieved. If there was one thing this house could not take, it was the departure of another loved one. He looked at Eruanna's sad face and determined to cheer the child up, "Then Erestor will be quite relieved, I'm sure. It would take him another millennium to find an apprentice as _adequate_ as you." He stressed the word, mimicking Erestor's tone and accent.

Eruanna could not suppress a small laugh. "Is that what he called me, _adequate_?"

Glorfindel was pleased he'd managed to make the young one smile. "You know how he despises giving out compliments. He thinks they weaken an edhel's character." Glorfindel snorted. Erestor was a strange old ellon but when he gave his friendship to another, it was a bond not easily broken. "Still, I know he is not ready to give you up. I think he wishes you were his child, so that he could claim all of your talent as having been bestowed by him alone."

Eruanna turned wide eyes on the elf Lord. "I doubt such, Lord Glorfindel."

Glorfindel studied Eruanna carefully. _Was she truly unaware of how highly Erestor thought of her?_ "Which part?" he asked, "That your skill in lore is great or that he wishes you were his child?"

Eruanna thought long before answering. "Both, I suppose."

Glorfindel smiled at the young one's disbelief. _Erestor really should be more open with others._ "Ask him," he told her. "If there is one thing Erestor is incapable of…it's lying."

Eruanna hid her smile in the crook of her arm. "Perhaps, some day."

Glorfindel did not know what else to say to the child and so he made to stand. He was halted by an unexpected question.

"Do you have loved ones waiting for you across the sea?" Eruanna was not sure if the Lord would answer such a personal question, but she wished to know his thoughts on Valinor.

Glorfindel settled himself back down. He knew the child needed comfort but he was not sure he was the proper one to provide it. This was, however, a question he was capable of answering. "Yes. My parents and brothers, and many friends who fell in Gondolin await me."

"Then why did you come back?" Puzzlement was etched across Eruanna's face. She'd heard tell of Lord Glorfindel's return to Middle Earth. He was the only edhel that she'd ever heard of having done so, after the Noldor's return, that is.

Glorfindel wasn't sure he was capable of explaining. The reasons were many and long in the telling. He settled on the most concise answer he could find. "I was needed here."

Eruanna looked at the ellon before her. Glorfindel glowed with a light far brighter than any other elf she'd ever known. Arwen told her it was the grace of the Valar that made Glorfindel shine as he did. "What is Valinor like?"

Glorfindel noted the child's curious expression. He knew she'd read much about the history of the Eldar, including their time in Valinor, but he was also keenly aware that no count of words could come close to describing its splendor.

"It is beyond description… its grace, its beauty, beyond words. It is a place where all hurts are washed away. I look forward to the day when I will once again walk upon its shores." He reached out his hand, laying it carefully over Eruanna's. "When you are ready, you will hear it calling to you."

Eruanna wiped a tear from her face and smiled at the elven Lord. "Thank you, Lord Glorfindel."

Glorfindel returned the smile she gave him. "Of course, my Lady."

Eruanna laughed as Glorfindel kissed her hand before rising.

"Don't forget what I said about our good friend Erestor. Just don't let him know I told you." The ellon threw Eruanna a wink. "Good day to you, Eruanna."

"Good day, Lord Glorfindel."

* * *

Eruanna hugged Ithilwen tightly, tears running freely down her face. "I love you."

"Oh child, we love you too, more than anything in this world." Ithilwen kissed her granddaughter on both tear stained cheeks. "I will tell your mother what a beautiful elleth you've become."

Eruanna's gaze shifted to the ground; thinking of her mother always made her feel guilty. "Tell her," her voice wavered, "tell her I'm sorry."

Ithilwen lifted her granddaughter's chin so she could look the young one in the eye. "Sorry, child?" Ithilwen saw guilt in her granddaughter's eyes and it took a moment to understand from whence it came. "Oh Eruanna, it is not your fault your mother faded. You are not to blame." The elleth hugged her granddaughter tightly. It was the first time Ithilwen had ever spoken these words to Eruanna. She should have said them long ago. "She loved you, Eruanna. She loved your grandfather and me as well, but it was not enough."

Ithilwen brushed Eruanna's long brown hair back away from her face. "She awaits us all." Ithilwen wiped the tears from Eruanna's eyes, "and when it is your time to sail, the three of us will stand on the shore to welcome you."


	12. Fading

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 12 – Fading**

**Third Age 2577**

Eruanna's melancholy did not pass in the weeks following her grandparent's departure. She found herself unable to enjoy the simple pleasures in life that had, in the past, been a source of joy and contentment; the singing of the birds, the smell of a fresh spring rain, the sight of Ithil shining down upon the valley. Eruanna could find no joy in the natural beauty of the Earth and her books, which had once been a source of great pleasure and illumination, became an impenetrable maze of dead ends.

Elrond entered the library in search of Erestor. What he found upon entering brought him to a sudden halt. The room was in disarray; stacks of books lay on tables, spilling over onto the floor. In the midst of the chaos sat Eruanna. She had a book in her hand and flipped quickly through its pages. Reaching the final page she slammed the book shut and dropped it carelessly on a pile at her side.

"Erestor would be most upset if he witnessed your treatment of his works." Elrond called across the room causing Eruanna's head to turn swiftly in his direction.

Eruanna turned her head to the doorway, surprised by the unexpected presence, "Lord Elrond, I did not hear you come in."

"You seemed to be otherwise occupied." Elrond moved to Eruanna's side. He lifted a stack of books from one of the chairs and placed it on the table, seating himself in the now empty chair. "I thought Erestor gave you the week off."

Eruanna looked guiltily about the room, noticing the great mess she'd made for the first time all day. "He did," she responded. "He said I was…distracted."

"I see." Elrond looked about the room. It looked like a tornado had passed through it. Eruanna's dark humor had become like a cloud hanging over Elrond's house. None had been able to raise her spirits and most assumed it was her grandparent's departure that had caused her depression. Elrond was not so sure.

Elrond turned his attention to the individual books scattered around the room. They were all written in Quenya- tales of Valinor and the First Age. "Are you looking for something in particular, Eruanna, perhaps I can help you find it?"

Elrond hoped that would be the case, otherwise he'd need to find a way to keep his high counselor away from this wing of the house. "Erestor's hair will curl if he sees what you've done to the library."

Eruanna shook her head. "It is nothing. I need no assistance."

Elrond studied the young elleth carefully. "If it were nothing, this room would not look as it does." When all the elleth did was shrug, he pressed further. "Tell me what you search for."

Eruanna met the elf Lord's grey eyes. Tiny lines could be seen at their edges. She wondered briefly if her eyes would look the same in years to come. The intensity of Elrond's attention discomfited Eruanna. She'd avoided many well-meaning questioners these past few weeks, but she could not lie to Elrond. A tired sigh escaped her before she answered. "Stories…about the Undying Lands."

Elrond thought as much. He waited, but Eruanna failed to elaborate. "Do you search for any stories in particular?"

Eruanna rested her hand on a large open tome. It contained the portrait of a beautiful elleth, with long ebony hair.

Elrond recognized the elleth in the illustration by the manner in which she was depicted, sitting before a loom, weaving. "Míriel?" The Lord's eyebrow rose in interest. "Why do you seek her out?"

Eruanna hesitated to answer but the concern in Elrond's eyes moved her. She found herself wishing to speak with someone of her thoughts, kept quiet these many weeks. "She faded, in Valinor."

"She did." Elrond was well aware of the fate of Fëanor's mother, having read the same tales as she when he was a young ellon. Still, he was unclear exactly why this tale had such a disturbing effect on the elleth in his care. He decided simply to let her speak; hoping she would open up to him as she did.

After a long silence, Eruanna found the strength to continue. She kept the despair born from the depths of her soul well hidden. "Lord Glorfindel told me that _all_ hurts were healed in Valinor."

Elrond nodded, he'd heard the same words spoken all his life by those who'd seen the Blessed Realm. "So I am told."

Eruanna shook her head. "It is a lie. If that were so, she would not have faded," she stated with finality.

Elrond conceded the wisdom of her logic but having no firsthand knowledge of Valinor or of the circumstances surrounding Míriel's passing, he did not know for sure. "You may be correct." Elrond waited patiently for Eruanna to continue. He knew there was more on her mind than simply Míriel's death.

"My mother faded after I was born." Eruanna explained with seeming detachment.

Elrond nodded. He'd learned the story surrounding Eruanna's birth prior to her arrival in Rivendell. "Your grandfather wrote to me of his daughter's passing." Eruanna's gaze drifted out the large library window overlooking the garden. Her face was serene, as one who'd accepted the will of fate. The lack of emotion in her eyes disturbed him greatly. "What is it that troubles you, Eruanna? Tell me."

Eruanna did not look at the Lord when the questions she'd pondered silently these past few weeks escaped her lips. "What if I remind my mother of the adan who hurt her and she fades again? What if I sail west, and in so doing, carry her torment to the Undying Lands?"

"Oh, Eruanna…." Elrond searched the long years of his life for words of comfort to offer the elleth at his side. Eruanna had become as dear to him as his beloved children and Elrond could not imagine that her presence could bring another pain. Elrond thought on Irimë and the long months she held on to life in order to give birth to her daughter. Elrond had been a healer for many ages; he knew a will that strong was rare.

Elrond took Eruanna's chin in hand and turned her face to his. He prayed that her heart would hearken to his words. "Your mother clung to this world long enough to give you life. You would not be here now had she not felt a great and powerful love for you."

The sincerity in her guardian's eyes gave Eruanna the smallest glimmer of hope that such was possible, that her mother had truly loved her before her spirit left this world.

Elrond placed a reassuring hand on the one Eruanna had resting on Míriel's portrait. "Come, child. I'll assist you in returning the library to order before the sight sends Erestor straight to Mandos."

A small smile lifted the edge of Eruanna's mouth and the pair set to work. Eruanna returned Míriel's story to its proper place on the shelf but she could not erase it from her mind. Nor could she erase the guilt she felt for her mother's death and the knowledge that should she sail, her mother's torment may travel with her into the west.


	13. Delicate matters

**Chapter 13 – Delicate matters**

**Third Age 2700 **

For more than a century life in the Last Homely House went on. There is little to tell of those years except that Eruanna learned much wisdom under Erestor's tutelage while Glorfindel the Great taught her the art of bow and blade, stealth and woodlore.

It was nearly two hundred years after Celebrían passed over the sea that the Lord of Imladris was faced with the one of the most difficult decisions of his life…

Elrond's head shot up at the quiet knock on his door. "Come." In poked the familiar face of Elrond's high counselor. The dark haired ellon carried a large pile of scrolls. "Good afternoon, Erestor." He shifted his gaze to the letters Erestor piled on a side table. "Please tell me I don't need to look through all of those as well."

Erestor shook his head and smiled at the sullen look on Elrond's face. "No, no, I've gone through them all and sent replies as needed."

Relief filled the Lord at his counselor's reply. "I thank you, my friend."

Erestor bowed his head slightly, accepting his Lord's gratitude. "No need for thanks. It is my job. I do it gladly." And it was the truth, though like any ellon, Erestor was grateful that his hard work was appreciated.

Erestor studied the elf Lord a moment and the counselor's expression grew serious. He had a matter of some delicacy to discuss with Elrond and he was somewhat reluctant to begin. "I do, however, wish to discuss another matter with you."

Elrond noted the shift in his companion's demeanor. "Of course," he gestured to the chair opposite his desk, curious as to what it was that had brought about the sudden change, "please sit."

Erestor was not sure where to begin. He was not one to tread lightly on subjects that required a straightforward approach and so at last he decided it was best not to skirt around issue. "Arwen spoke to me of her desire to visit her grandparents."

Elrond's mood darkened instantly. He said nothing for some time, staring past Erestor with unfocused eyes. What those eyes saw, the councilor could only imagine.

After a time, Elrond returned his attention to his friend. Elrond's voice echoed painfully in his ears. "She spoke to me the other day of her longing to return to the Golden Wood."

Erestor understood well the concern Arwen's request stirred in her father's heart. The loss of Lady Celebrían was felt by all in Imladris, but Erestor had seen first hand the devastation her departure wrought on Elrond. And now, for him to part with his beloved daughter, seemed almost too much to ask, never mind that Arwen's request took her through the Redhorn Pass. "Will you give her leave to go?"

A mournful sigh escaped the elf Lord. He looked down at his hand as if the answer to Erestor's question could be found there. "I do not wish to," he admitted to the counselor. A humorless smile curled the edge of his lips, "but as my daughter was quick to remind me, if we live our lives in fear of the Shadow, it will consume us all."

Erestor heard defeat in Elrond's voice. It appeared he'd made up his mind to let Arwen go, no matter how much it grieved him. "Your daughter is wise," Erestor gave his friend an understanding smile, "like her father."

Elrond grumbled at his friend's last statement. "My heart would rather that I was a stubborn, short-sighted fool in this particular matter."

"I understand." Erestor said gently. The counselor allowed his Lord time to master the emotions he held barely in check. Elrond's eyes seemed to clear as if he'd only just thought of something and he raised his head to address Erestor.

"Why do you bring this up?" Elrond wondered why his counselor wished to discuss this particular topic as he knew Erestor would not question him out of mere curiosity.

It was Erestor's turn to look disgruntled. "Eruanna has asked if she may accompany Arwen to Lothlórien. She has read much of the Golden Wood, and has expressed a desire to travel there."

Erestor had not taken well to the idea of Eruanna leaving Rivendell when she first approached him about the possibility. The _logical_ part of Erestor's mind told him the child had made the long journey from Mirkwood safely once before, and so she was not completely ignorant of the dangers of the outside world. Unfortunately, that fact did little to comfort him. Elrond was not the only member of the house to feel the Shadow growing. Evil had returned to Middle Earth and a fear Erestor had never known before gripped his heart at the thought of Eruanna sharing Celebrían's fate. Still, he knew imprisoning Eruanna in Imladris forever was no answer.

"She wishes to go as well?" Elrond did not know if his heart could take both his daughter _and_ his ward facing the perils of the Misty Mountains. "Have you spoken with Glorfindel? Does he think her ready?"

Erestor shrugged- a gesture he was not known for and one that marked the depths of his unease. "He tells me she has much improved in the art of stealth and her skill with sword and bow is sufficient." He looked up at Elrond with humor in his eyes. "Of course, Glorfindel _demanded_ to be part of any guard that escorts Arwen and Eruanna to Lórien."

"Of course." Elrond smiled a small but genuine smile. It was no surprise that Glorfindel wished to accompany them. Elrond knew the great warrior had felt much guilt at not having been at Celebrían's side when she returned from Lórien and he was not the only ellon to feel thus. "I will have to send for Elladan and Elrohir as well. They will never forgive me if I allow Arwen to travel without her brothers at her side."

Erestor was glad that Elrond seemed to be taking the prospect of his daughter travelling in stride, but hesitated to add his final request. It was difficult for Erestor to ask, as he felt a powerful need to remain at Elrond's side as he'd done for nearly an age. "I would ask for leave to go as well, my Lord. I have not seen Lórien in a long time and know not if I shall have the opportunity again."

Elrond's attention was caught by his high counselor's strange request (as well as the formal manner in which it was made). Erestor had never before asked for leave to travel and in fact, had been known to grumble quite loudly when his presence was requested in one of the other elven realms. That he should wish to travel now surprised Elrond. "Is that the only reason you have for asking, my friend, or is there something more you do not tell me?" Elrond questioned gently. He did not wish to interrogate his friend if there be no reason.

Erestor squirmed under Elrond's concerned gaze. He'd known this conversation was coming but had hoped to avoid it. "I suppose…I do not wish to be parted from my apprentice s­o soon."

_Ah, as I thought_. Elrond found himself smiling more broadly at the ellon before him. Erestor had changed these last hundred or so years, in countless small and subtle ways. "Quite a reversal from when you first agreed to tutor her."

Erestor found himself becoming uncomfortable. He did not like discussing his personal feelings, even with friends. Alas, he was unable to avoid doing so and perhaps it was not so difficult to speak of such things with an ellon who so unashamedly expressed his love for his children. "I admit to having developed…an attachment to the elleth."

Elrond shook his head at his friend, laughing heartily at the ellon's confession. "Your capacity for understatement never ceases to amaze me."

Erestor gave his companion a sharp look which only fueled the elf Lord's laughter. He conceded that his choice of words might not have been what Elrond would have used. "Perhaps 'attachment' is not the proper word."

Elrond quieted his laughter. He knew what Erestor wished to say. It was written in the ellon's voice and eyes when he worked and spoke with Eruanna. Still, Elrond wished the old ellon would admit his feelings for the elleth to himself, even if he could not speak of them with any other. To his great surprise, Erestor continued. Elrond kept silent, allowing his friend to express the feelings he'd kept hidden (or so he thought) from everyone else.

Erestor thought long on all of the elflings he'd taught and the countless others who'd crossed his path over the ages. "I was never fond of elflings before I met Eruanna, students, yes, but not young ones in general. Though I suppose, Eruanna was not really a child, even when she first arrived in Imladris."

The counselor thought back over his lifetime. His mind recalled the faces of numerous ellith who wished to be courted by him and though lovers and friends filled the days of his life, he'd never found another to _share_ his life with. "In all my long years, I never found an elleth with whom I wished to pass the ages, and so I never thought much about having children of my own. I had other people's children to teach and tuck into bed when I so desired."

_So many children_…Elrond's sons and daughter among them, but they were not _his_ children. But Eruanna…she had no one, no father or mother and her grandparent's across the sea. He never saw it coming, never thought on it or asked for it or willed it to be so, but one day Erestor awoke with a rather startling thought…'_where is _**my**_ child this morning?'_. My child! He nearly fell out of bed at the absurdity of the thought, but it was not the last time his heart had claimed possession of her.

Erestor knew his Lord watched him carefully. He felt ashamed at his own inability to speak his feelings aloud, when the ellon before him had no trouble doing so. His usual easy eloquence abandoned him and he was like a young ellon trying desperately to explain away a mistake he'd made. But his heart knew long ago that it was no mistake, it simply took his mind a bit longer to catch up. "When I began working with Eruanna, it was as if Ilúvatar had sent her here just for me. As if he knew she would fill the place in my heart that unknowingly yearned for a child's love."

Elrond understood well how a single person could change the makeup of one's soul. He understood, too, Erestor's fears in admitting such a thing to himself. The counselor had seen first hand what love can do to an ellon, when the one they hold dear is ripped away. Elrond suddenly remembered the question that had first brought this subject to light. "I give you leave to go, Erestor."

Erestor breathed a sigh of relief at his Lord's decision. He was also grateful that Elrond had allowed him to speak without interruption or judgment. "I will write the necessary papers. It should not take too long for your sons to return, once we figure out where they are."

"They will not be pleased." Elrond could only imagine the argument they would have when his sons arrived.

"Let Arwen deal with them," the counselor suggested, knowing the Lady had her own methods of handling her brothers.

Elrond laughed at that. Arwen could be quite persuasive in her own right. Her will was as strong as those of her mother and grandmother. He gave Erestor a nod and the counselor stood and headed for the door. As the door swung open Elrond called out to Erestor, "Take care of my child Erestor…and yours."

The counselor turned back to Elrond and lifted his hand to his heart. "I will."

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Erestor followed the paths that led to the training fields. He looked across the open expanse and spotted Eruanna and Glorfindel in a far corner beneath the shade trees. He made his way toward them, watching as Eruanna was dumped repeatedly onto the ground by Glorfindel who then helped her back to her feet. The repetitive nature of the scene was quite humorous, though Erestor's enjoyment was tinged with concern for what would no doubt be quite a sore backside before the lesson was done.

"Here you are. And what are we learning today?" Erestor's voice distracted Eruanna momentarily and she landed in the dirt once more.

Eruanna glowered at Glorfindel for taking advantage of her while she was distracted but said nothing, knowing the ellon would merely admonish her for taking her eyes off her opponent. She climbed back to her feet. "We are practicing hand to hand."

"Have you not practiced enough today?" Erestor asked, eying her practice uniform now covered in mud.

"One can never train enough, Erestor." Glorfindel lectured his friend in a voice that sounded rather similar to the one Erestor used when drilling Eruanna in her studies.

Eruanna gave a sidelong glance at Glorfindel who'd just thrown a none too veiled jab at Erestor's often draconian teaching methods. "And besides," she offered to Erestor, "Glorfindel is harder to land a blow on than Arwen. I have already sparred with her today and did rather well."

Glorfindel nodded in agreement, "She did well, so I decided to take over and give my student a greater challenge."

"A greater challenge, indeed." Erestor noted the fact that Glorfindel's uniform was spotless. It appeared the old warrior was not so much sparring with Eruanna as he was dumping her in the mud. "I recall the last time you sparred with Glorfindel, he gave you a black eye."

"Only because I slipped." Eruanna was quick to defend herself and her teacher. Hearing a snort of laughter escape Glorfindel, she shot a challenging look his way. "He will not be so lucky this time."

Glorfindel's eyebrow rose at the elleth's challenge. "We shall see."

"I hate to interrupt your… training, Glorfindel" Erestor raised his hand before their knock-down session could resume, "but there is an important matter I need to discuss with Eruanna." Erestor gave Glorfindel a knowing look. He'd told the Seneschal he was going to speak with Elrond about her travelling to Lórien.

Glorfindel nodded, "Very well." Turning to Eruanna, he added, "We will continue tomorrow morning, bright and early."

"I'll be here." She bowed politely and watched the ellon's retreating form as he left the practice field. Her attention returned swiftly to Erestor at the sound of his words.

"I have spoken to Lord Elrond…," Erestor was cut short by a barrage of excited questions from Eruanna.

"What did he say? Will he let us go? Can you come too?" Eruanna could barely contain her excitement.

Erestor raised a hand, signaling that all would be answered if Eruanna would give him the chance to speak. "He has given us leave to travel. When the mountain passes open and Elladan and Elrohir arrive, we will depart."


	14. A mercurial spirit

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work.

**Chapter 14 – A mercurial spirit**

**Third Age 2700**

It was ten years since Elladan and Elrohir had last visited their father's house. Eruanna rarely saw or spoke with them, as their stays were always brief and they spent most of their time with their father and sister or resting in their rooms. The twins were mysterious and shadowy figures to Eruanna's mind. The tales they'd tell of slaughtering the orcs of the Misty Mountains chilled her bones and brought forth terrible images in her mind. And so Eruanna did her best to avoid them whenever they came to Imladris in search of rest. It was not difficult. The brothers did not frequent the gardens and she'd encountered Elrohir in the library only once.

Eruanna hid in the shadow of a large pillar across from Elrond's study. She'd heard raised voices from afar but could not make out the words from such a distance. And so she crept closer, keeping out of sight, and yet close enough to hear at least some of what was spoken. Even this close to the door Eruanna could not make out everything that the twin Lords said, but the anger in their voices was clear. Of what she could hear, this is how it went…

"…_must be mad...letting them go…"_

"…_not stand for it…"_

"…_wish us to fade!"_

"…_still a child…"_

"_YOU ARE NOT GOING!"_

At this last cry the door flew open and an infuriated Elrohir burst forth into the hall. He passed Eruanna's hiding place in a blind rage and stampeded down the stairs, out of the house and down the garden path. Eruanna might have been mistaken, but she swore she'd seen tears in his eyes.

Arwen's voice could be heard through the now open door. "Elladan, please listen to me!"

Elrond appeared in the doorway of his study, glancing up and down the hallway in search of his son. He did not find Elrohir but spotted Eruanna, hiding behind a stone pillar. She wore a nervous expression and had obviously heard his son's outburst.

"Did you see him?" Elrond whispered quietly to the elleth who'd not yet emerged from the shadows.

Eruanna felt guilty for having eavesdropped on her guardian's private conversation. "Yes," she turned her face to the steps before adding as an afterthought, "He was very upset."

Elrond was torn between continuing the somewhat reasonable conversation he was having with Elladan and chasing down an incensed Elrohir. His indecision must have shown for Eruanna offered him a third option.

"Do you wish me to find him?" Eruanna could not believe she'd just suggested such a thing. She had no desire to get in the middle of their argument, especially after witnessing first hand the emotional state of the young Lord. Perhaps it was the tears in his eyes that prompted her to make the offer.

Elrond studied the elleth for a moment. He felt a tinge of guilt for considering sending Eruanna after his son. Elrohir had quite a temper and he did not wish for his son to take his anger out on Eruanna. On the other hand, if there was any member of the house his son was least likely to show his temper to, it was the elleth before him. "Go and find him. Tell him I would like to speak with him, when he's ready."

Eruanna nodded and headed for the steps. She was almost to the stairway when she heard Elrond's voice echo down the hall.

"Thank you, Eruanna."

* * *

Eruanna studied the path carefully; at last putting Lord Glorfindel's training to practical use. It was not easy finding Lord Elrohir's tracks and she lost the trail several times before finding it again. Were it not for the ellon's distress she would not have been able to track him at all. After what felt like hours of searching Eruanna spotted a dark haired ellon alone under a shade tree. He sat on the ground his knees drawn up, his arms covering his bowed head. Eruanna approached Elrohir steadily and sat down a few feet to his left.

Eruanna did not speak immediately, unsure at first of what to say. Elrohir's breathing was shaky, uneven, but steadied as they sat together in silence. She knew he was aware of her presence though he had not yet acknowledged her. She played absently with the grass beneath her hands until Elrohir regained his composure.

The ellon dried his eyes with his sleeve, and drawing in a deep breath, he turned his face to Eruanna. She gave the Lord a shy smile and said the first thing that came to her mind, "Glorfindel will be pleased that his training has not been in vain."

If he'd been anticipating a conversation with the young elleth, this was not how Elrohir would have expected it to begin. "What training?" he asked without thinking.

Eruanna placed the blade of grass that she now held between her fingers gently on the ground beside her. "He's been teaching me tracking of late. I've not yet had a chance to try out what I've learned, though I admit, if you'd not been in such a state, I don't think I'd have been able to find you. I lost your trail several times along the way."

Elrohir gave the elleth a guilty smile, "I must remember next time to keep my emotions in check or it may be an orc that comes upon me unnoticed instead of a lovely elleth."

Eruanna blushed at the Lord's words. _He called her lovely._ Eruanna's eyes passed over Lord Elrond's younger son, who in voice and appearance was much like the elder but who, unlike Elladan, had a mercurial spirit and was given to passionate displays. Elrohir's anger appeared to have lessened since he'd left his father's study but there was

a lingering sadness in his eyes and his face yet bore the stains of the tears he'd shed. It made Eruanna uncomfortable. She'd seen her grandfather cry a few times but she'd never been called upon to comfort him. She could think of no words to ease Elrohir's pain and knew not how to begin.

"You love her very much." Eruanna said at last.

Elrohir was unprepared for the sudden shift in conversation. It was not a question she'd spoken but a statement, one that Elrohir could hardly deny. He loved Arwen, and the memory of his harsh words to her brought a wave of guilt crashing over him. "She is my baby sister. I still remember the day she was born. Elladan and I fought for hours over who would be the first to hold her." Elrohir's eyes strayed absently across the small glade. He was lost in memories of younger, happier days.

"Who won?" Eruanna's voice held much amusement.

Elrohir's smile broadened, "I did, of course. We decided to settle it with a wrestling match and I have always been more skilled than Elladan in hand fighting. I pinned him in under two minutes."

Eruanna laughed at the image that formed in her head of Celebrían in the birthing rooms, her sons outside in the hall, rolling on the floor for the privilege of being the first to hold their new sister.

The sound of the young elleth's laughter brought some lightness to Elrohir's heart. She turned smiling eyes on him and he could not help but share in her mirth.

As he continued studying the young one her expression grew serious. A shadow fell on her fair face and he feared that he'd been its cause. Elrohir was about to break the silence that fell between them, but Eruanna's next question halted him, her words echoing the lamentations of his soul.

"It doesn't help, does it, when they tell you it wasn't your fault?" Eruanna asked gently,

knowing full well the reason Arwen's brothers objected to her visiting Lórien.

It took Elrohir a moment to answer, "No, it does not." No matter how many times he'd heard those words from family and friends, not for a single moment had he believed them.

"Even when it is the truth," Eruanna added at last. She met his eyes once more and spoke words she knew the Lord had heard many times before but seemed fitting to repeat now.

"It was not your fault. How many parties of elves have passed unhindered over those mountains through the ages? No one could have known what would happen on that crossing, not even your grandmother or your father, with all their wisdom and foresight."

Elrohir listened silently to Eruanna's words. They held much truth in them, his mind whispered, but were impossible for his heart to accept.

Eruanna reached out a small hand and laid it atop Elrohir's. "You saved her, Lord Elrohir. She survived the orc dens. She did not fade. You saved her."

He shook his head, his words laced with despair. "But she had to sail."

Eruanna squeezed the ellon's hand. "You will see her again and if what they say is true, the light of the Valar will see her healed." She paused before adding as an afterthought, "There are no _orcs_ in Valinor."

Elrohir turned his hand so he could hold her small one in his, thankful for her kind words even if his heart could not believe them. When he looked back up at the elleth he knew something was wrong. She was mutilating the flowers that grew at her feet. The last words she'd spoken echoed in his ears, they seemed as if they carried a deeper meaning, one that lay hidden to him. "Eruanna, what is wrong?"

"Nothing." Eruanna pulled her hand away from the Lord ignoring his question. "Your father wishes to speak with you when you are ready to do so." Eruanna made to rise but was stopped by a gentle hand on the hem of her sleeve.

"Do not hasten away." Eruanna looked back at him and she seemed reluctant to disobey. When the elleth settled back down Elrohir released his hold on her sleeve, slightly embarrassed that he'd grabbed at her so rudely. "You came to offer me comfort. I would do the same for you, if you will let me."

Eruanna shook her head. She did not wish to speak of such things with Elrond's son, for she knew him but a little. It was only that speaking of his mother had raised thoughts of Irimë, thoughts that had slumbered for many years. "It is nothing."

Elrohir raised a disbelieving brow at the young elleth, eying the ground before her. "Then you must have a great hatred for asphodel."

Eruanna looked down at the ruined flowers that lay scattered on the grass. She'd pulled them from the ground and they lay around her, dying. The sight of the fallen flowers made her shudder and she answered Elrohir's nearly forgotten question. "I killed my mother."

Eruanna's unexpected confession shocked Elrohir to his core. His father had spoken briefly with him and his brother about the young peredhel when she first arrived at their home. There was nothing in his father's story indicating that Eruanna had a hand in her mother's death. He wondered at her words, but said nothing as she continued unabated.

"My mother wandered too close to the River Running, out of sight of the wardens and her father. A man saw her dancing on the banks…he hurt her."

"Your adar." Elrohir whispered quietly.

Eruanna nodded, her thoughts on the faceless adan who'd fathered her. "She did not fade." Eruanna turned her head to face Elrohir. "Your father said it was her love for me that made her strong, strong enough to give me life- but her spirit abandoned this world soon after I was born. Sometimes I fear it was the sight of me that made her fade, that I reminded her of what happened on the river banks and she could not bear to look upon me."

Elrohir held his breath as the elleth fell silent. The words of comfort that first sprang to his mind choked him. _It wasn't your fault._ How often had he heard those words spoken by his father and sister, by Erestor and Glorfindel? How could he say them to her now?

"You wish to say them don't you?" Eruanna whispered, watching Elrohir closely as he battled to withhold the words she'd only just spoken.

"I do," Elrohir conceded and he took her hand in his once more.

A humorless laugh escaped Eruanna then and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "You can say them if you want to. I said them to you."

"It's not your fault." He knew the words sounded as empty to her as they had to him, but he spoke them just the same.

Eruanna offered the young Lord a genuine smile. There were at least two halfelven children in Middle Earth that understood her pain. "Perhaps one day we will both believe those words," she offered.

"Perhaps." Elrohir let out a tired sigh before climbing to his feet. "I think it is time we returned to the house. I must apologize to Arwen and adar for my outburst." He offered

Eruanna his hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet.

Elrohir watched the elleth as she brushed off her skirt. He realized suddenly that this was the longest conversation he'd ever had with her in all the years she'd spent in his home. Moreover, it saddened him to know that the same intense pain he and his brother felt at their mother's departure was also known to the young one at his side. Elrohir offered the elleth his arm and they headed back to the house. "I still do not like the idea of the two of you crossing the mountains."

"Nor should you," Eruanna replied, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze, "but we cannot live our lives as captives to fear."

Elrohir stared down in amazement at the elleth on his arm. He'd _listened_ to those same words from Arwen and his father, but somehow, they were easier to _hear_ coming from the lips of one so young. "No, we cannot."


	15. The Journey

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work.

**Chapter 15 – The Journey**

**Third Age 2700**

Arwen and Eruanna spent the next few days deciding what they wished to take with them to Lothlórien. It was not too difficult a task as the elves, even the great and powerful, put little stock in material possessions-other than the great heirlooms of their houses. Eruanna decided to take the scarf her grandmother gave her before she sailed west, the weapons Glorfindel had gifted her with over her years of training, and the journal Erestor gave her for her last begetting day along with some clothing and other necessities. After the two ellith had finished Eruanna's packing they moved to Arwen's room to ready her things for the journey. The two ellith chatted away merrily for some time while Arwen held up each dress in her wardrobe for Eruanna to decide which she should bring. Eventually the conversation turned to details of the coming journey and from there to the source of much frustration for the Lady Arwen- her brothers.

"They behave as though I am going half way across the world," the Lady exclaimed, shaking her head at the thought of her brothers. "The journey is all of two weeks provided the passes are clear and we keep up a reasonable pace. I have made the same trip many times."

Eruanna smiled at the elleth who had played the role of mother, sister, and friend to her over the years. She sympathized with Arwen's frustration at being treated like a helpless elfling, but Eruanna also knew that her brothers' concern for her was not in the least bit unfounded. "You cannot blame them for their concern. It is born from their love for you."

Arwen continued folding her clothes and gave her young companion a smile. "It would seem I am doomed to have Elladan and Elrohir accompany me on every trip I wish to take."

Eruanna sat down on the Lady's bed, placing a hand on Arwen's arm. "It is small price to pay if it brings comfort to those who love you."

Eruanna envied Arwen her loving family. There were times when she'd seen Arwen, her brothers, and Lord Elrond sitting together in the Hall of Fire looking so happy and content with one another. It was in those moments that Eruanna felt very much alone. The sound of Arwen's voice brought Eruanna's attention back to her companion.

"Taking their side are you?" Arwen flashed Eruanna a wry grin.

"Of course she is," a deep male voice entered in the conversation unexpectedly.

"Elrohir." Arwen looked up from her bags to see her brothers standing in the doorway. "Come to spy on us, have you?"

"Spy?" Elladan gasped.

"Us?" Elrohir chimed.

Elladan shook his head at his sister, his jaw hanging open, feigning shock. "We're merely here to see if you ladies need assistance." He turned then to Eruanna and gave her a smile. "Good morning, Eruanna."

"Good morning," she said to both brothers.

"No assistance is needed. We are nearly done." Arwen replied as she placed the last item in her bag.

"Is this yours, Eruanna?" Elrohir had made his way across the room and held up a small sword that lay atop Eruanna's bags.

"Yes," Eruanna replied. "Lord Glorfindel gave it to me as a gift for my begetting day some fifty years ago."

Elrohir unsheathed the sword, studying it with a keen eye. He handed the blade off to Elladan who looked on it in surprise.

"Made by Hirgon, by the look of it." Elladan stared in awe at the beautifully crafted weapon. It was obvious the sword had been made for Eruanna by special request for it was small and bore an incantation that called on Eru to protect her. "There is no greater swordmaster in the realm. He was trained by Celebrimbor himself, one of the smiths of Eregion."

Elrohir huffed. "I don't recall Glorfindel ever giving either of us such an exquisite gift," he exclaimed, looking indignant.

"Perhaps that is because Eruanna never put ink in his tea," his sister offered.

Elrohir leaned against the window frame, arms crossed over his chest. "We can hardly be blamed if some careless scribe knocked a bottle of ink into Glorfindel's teapot."

"Really, our sister has such an imagination." Elladan whispered not too quietly in Eruanna's direction, the humor in his eyes causing the elleth a fit of laughter.

Elrohir took the sword from his brother and returning it to its scabbard, handed it back to Eruanna. "You had better keep this at your side during the journey," he told her with all seriousness.

"I will." Eruanna clutched her sword tightly; aware for the first time that she may actually be called upon to use it before they reached their destination.

Arwen tied the last strings of her pack together and looked about the room for anything she might have overlooked. She was ready. "Come now. It is time we were on our way."

* * *

"Ada," Arwen hugged her father tightly. She did not wish to cause him pain but Arwen would not allow what happened to her mother to alter the course of her life as it had her brothers. She would not let the mountains keep her from her kin or the beauty that was Lothlórien. 

"I know it foolish to say be careful." Elrond embraced his daughter tightly, willing himself not to imagine that he could be holding her for the last time. He pulled back a little, taking her face in his hands, "Your brothers can be overbearing at times, but they love you."

"I know." A tear rolled down Arwen's cheek and she wiped it away quickly, not wanting her father to see her cry.

Elrond rested his forehead against his daughter's, working hard to hold back his own tears, and gave his child a single command. "If anything should happen during the crossing, stay behind your brothers and Glorfindel."

Arwen made as if to protest, but he continued before she could speak. "If not for your own sake, you must do so for Eruanna. She is still very young and has never had need to use sword or bow in combat. She will need you at her side."

Arwen stood silently for a moment, thinking over her father's words. She knew that Eruanna was not the only reason her father made this request, but his words were true all the same. No matter how much she might wish to charge in and mete out her own small measure of revenge on the orcs of the mountains, her first duty was to Eruanna. "I will look after her, ada, you needn't worry." She placed a kiss on her father's cheek, "I won't do anything foolish."

"I know." Elrond hugged her one last time before taking her arm in his and walking to Eruanna's side.

Eruanna saw Arwen and her father approaching. The pair gave Eruanna warm smiles but there was a touch of sadness in their eyes. "Lord Elrond." Eruanna bowed her head respectfully to her guardians.

"Are you ready?" Elrond looked over Eruanna's laden horse and noted the sword she wore at her side.

"I…I think so." Eruanna followed Elrond's gaze. Her things were all in order; it was her heart she hoped would be able to brave the mountains, now that she knew of the terrors that dwelt there.

Elrond pulled the young elleth into a warm embrace and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He'd spent so much time dealing with the prospect of Arwen leaving him he'd allowed himself to forget the other elleth that would be traveling with her. For a moment, Elrond considered telling Eruanna she could not go, that she was too young to leave her home. He could not, for he realized he did not wish her to stay out of concern for her welfare. Rather, it was a selfish desire to keep that which had taken him many thousands of years to find.

Understanding dawned on him then and for the first time Elrond knew in his heart how very important Eruanna had become to him. Painful memories rose to the surface of Elrond's thoughts. Words he'd spoken nearly two ages past to the last peredhel he'd ever known tore at his soul.

"_Do not leave me. I don't want to be alone."_

An echo of a voice, long departed, answered his plea, _"You will never be alone, my brother, I am inside you, a piece of your heart, one you will carry with you to the end of days."_

_A piece of my heart…so many pieces, torn away..._

Elrond took a step back from Eruanna and laid his hands on her shoulders. He had to let her go now or else Elrond knew he might never be able to part with her again. "Just stay close to my sons and to Glorfindel. They will see you safely to Lothlórien."

"I will," Eruanna promised. She sensed the urgency in Elrond's words and something in his ancient grey eyes and the intensity of his embrace told her that the elf Lord might not let her leave if she did not give her word.

"Namárië," he said to her and moved away to bid farewell to his sons.

"Ada," the twin Lords said in unison. Elrond embraced each of them in turn, whispering words unheard by the assembled company as he did so. Elrond loved his sons, and though on this particular occasion his thoughts lay heavily on the welfare of his daughter and Eruanna, it did not diminish the concern he felt for Elladan and Elrohir. Great warriors they were, but they were still his children and Elrond worried for them whenever they traveled afar.

"Watch over them," Elrond said at last to his sons who stood tall before him.

"We will," Elladan answered for both of them, though his words were unnecessary. Elladan and Elrohir would die for those they loved and they needed no oath to affirm this.

At last, Elrond reached the final member of the party that would be staying in Lórien for some time. "Farewell, my friend," Elrond clasped Erestor's arm in a warrior's embrace. "Take care of them, and yourself if you find the time."

Erestor laughed, "I'll do my best." He released his grip on his Lord's arm and gave him a small nod, his voice mocking serious. "Do try and keep the library in order while I'm away."

Elrond chuckled at his counselor's request, "I'll see what I can do. Namárië."

The party gathered themselves, twenty all told, Arwen and Eruanna, Glorfindel and Erestor, Elladan and Elrohir and fourteen other ellyn who wished to travel with the company and see their Lady safely to her grandparent's realm. They departed as the sun climbed toward its apex and Elrond watched them as they went and did not avert his gaze until they had disappeared from his sight.

* * *

The party reached the opening to the mountain pass several days later. Elladan and Elrohir had scouted the route prior to returning to Imladris and cleaned out several orc dens along the way. Two days into the mountains, the company sought refuge in a small cave that Elrohir assured them was safe and dry and would provide shelter for the evening. Eruanna and Arwen sat together a ways from the ellyn who gathered around the fire to hear the brothers tell of the orcs they'd slain in the very hollow in which they now sat. 

Eruanna chewed her dinner slowly, her mind not really on her food. Her eyes darted around the small cave on the lookout for anything that might be amiss. Arwen noticed her unease and placed a hand on her shoulder drawing her attention away from the darkness. Arwen gave the young elleth a smile which Eruanna found difficult not to return.

"I do not remember being so afraid of the mountains when I passed over them with my grandfather," Eruanna admitted to the Lady.

Arwen smiled at her companion. "You were younger then and did not know of the dangers that lurk here."

Arwen's gaze swept around the cave, sentries had been placed around their encampment-nothing could approach them from inside or out without their knowledge. Arwen turned back to Eruanna who stared off toward the circle of ellyn. Elladan stood at the center gesturing wildly, reenacting some event that he and Elrohir were sharing with the wardens. Eruanna's expression darkened and she turned away from Elladan's display.

"What is the matter?" Arwen asked.

Eruanna looked down at her hands trying to block out the sounds of laughter coming from the circle. "The tales your brothers tell about their travels…." Eruanna shuddered.

Arwen waited for Eruanna to finish but when the elleth did not continue, Arwen pressed her. "What about them?"

Eruanna took a deep breath. "How do they live with the things they've done? I know orcs are terrible creatures but still…I do not think I could sleep at night." She did not think she could sleep _tonight_ after the stories she'd heard the brothers tell.

A grave expression graced Arwen's fair face. She too cared little for her brothers' tales. "They have changed much since our mother passed into the west." Her voice held much sadness and Eruanna thought she could hear every bit of Arwen's 2,500 years in her voice. She gave the Lady's arm a comforting squeeze. Arwen laid a hand over Eruanna's, smiling back at the elleth before looking over at her brothers. "I pray that one day they will lay aside their guilt and be as they once were."

"Guilt is not an easy thing to put aside," Eruanna replied.

"I know." Arwen knew Eruanna had her own burdens of guilt that lay heavily on her. Elrohir told Arwen of the conversation he'd had with Eruanna in the garden. It hurt the Lady to know that the elleth carried such a burden. Arwen's silent contemplation was broken by the sound of Erestor's voice.

"And how are you this eve, my Ladies?" Erestor sat on the hard ground beside Eruanna.

"Well, Erestor," Arwen answered absently.

Eruanna merely shrugged. Erestor noted her solemn expression and threw Arwen a questioning glance.

Arwen caught the counselor's eyes and shook her head slightly. She looked off to the fire circle. Elrohir was now at its center, his sword drawn reenacting what looked to be a battle scene. "I should go monitor my brothers' storytelling. Their tales tend to get a bit exaggerated when I'm not around to call them on it."

Erestor laughed as he too watched the young Lord's performance. "Then you're just in time, when I left the circle your brothers had just been waylaid by 150 orcs."

Arwen rolled her eyes. "I'd better go see if I can talk them down to a more reasonable number." She gave Eruanna's hand a squeeze before standing and joining the ellyn by the fire.

"Good luck," Erestor called after Arwen as she made her way to the circle.

The old counselor looked now to Eruanna who sat quietly beside him. Erestor leaned against a large boulder, wrapping his arm around the elleth, covering her with his cloak. Eruanna rested her head on his chest and curled up at his side. "Do you not wish to join them?" he asked her finally.

"I do not care for their stories," Eruanna admitted quietly.

Erestor nodded, "Nor do I." They sat in silence together for some time but as Elladan's story grew louder and more animated, Erestor could feel Eruanna's tension increase. Before he could ask her what was wrong she said his name.

"Erestor?"

The word sounded like the beginning of a question. Erestor waited for Eruanna to continue but she said nothing more. "Yes, child? What is it?"

It took Eruanna a long time to find the courage to ask the question she'd been pondering and it was spoken quietly as if she perhaps hoped her teacher would not hear it. "What is it like, killing for the first time?"

Erestor's heart froze at the elleth's question. For a long time he could not find his voice. _Of all the elves in Arda, why does she ask me this?_ These last words found their way past his lips. "Why do you ask me this?"

Eruanna heard the tension in Erestor's voice and did her best to answer him. "Lord Glorfindel has taught me how to protect myself with sword and bow, but he's never spoken about what it's like to take a life." Eruanna had wished to ask him many times before but she'd never found the right moment and as for Lady Arwen, this was not a question Eruanna felt comfortable asking her.

After a long drawn out silence Eruanna feared her teacher would not give her an answer or worse, that she had angered him with her question. "Erestor?"

"I don't know that I can answer your question, Eruanna," the ellon stated abruptly.

"Why?" Eruanna removed her head from Erestor's chest, looking her teacher in the eye. He'd never refused her when she'd asked him a question, though in Erestor's defense, she'd never before asked him anything so personal. Still, she was curious as to the reason for his refusal.

Erestor knew what brought this question to Eruanna's mind. He wanted to reassure her that should the worst happen, she would make Glorfindel proud. He answered Eruanna's unspoken question, leaving the one she'd voiced unanswered. "Should you have to kill an orc to protect yourself, I do not think you will hesitate. The instinct for survival is strong in all living things, you are no different."

Eruanna accepted that should she be called upon to fight, she would do so without hesitation and she was glad that Erestor also seemed to think her capable. But now, as she studied her teacher, her concern for him grew. His eyes seemed troubled and his gaze far away. Her question lay heavily upon him and Eruanna did not know why. She feared she'd hurt him with her query and since there was no going backward she pressed him once more. Elrond always told her speaking of things is less painful than keeping them locked inside. She figured such wisdom would hold true for the ancient ellon at her side as much as it did for her. "Why will you not answer my question, Erestor? Glorfindel told me you were once a warrior."

The sound of Eruanna's voice startled him out of reverie. He shook his head, his eyes looking all of their 6,000 years. "That was long ago," he replied, "in a different time."

Looking into those sad, ancient eyes a thought struck Eruanna that had never before occurred to her. In all of the years she'd spent studying under Erestor - absorbing his wisdom, reading his books, somehow, she'd never imagined that he had actually _known_ the people in those stories, _seen_those ancient cities, _fought_ in those battles….

It was as if Eruanna was seeing the ellon before her for the first time. He could not answer her question because it was not an _orc_he'd slain.

"It was an elf," she said at last.

Erestor's eyes shut tightly against Eruanna's words. There was no accusation in her tone but it mattered little. He could not bear to hear those words coming from her lips. Eruanna returned her head to his chest only this time she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Erestor could not remember the last time someone held him thus. He wrapped his arms around her as well. He knew that Eruanna had always found the kinslayings horrifying and he did not want his dear child to think him a monster.

"It was." Erestor's voice trembled at the memory, one he'd tried hard to bury deep within. Even after so many ages, thoughts of that terrible day still haunted him. "They came for the Silmaril. They came…and I fought." He closed his eyes; he could still see the blood of elves running into the Sirion, turning its clear waters red.

Eruanna deeply regretted her stupidity. She'd never considered what Erestor might have seen or done during the time he dwelt at the Mouths of Sirion. He'd told her long ago that he'd lived there with his parents after they'd fled Nargothrond, but somehow, she'd never imagined that young Erestor had witnessed the third kinslaying - let alone participated in it. She knew why he'd never told her. She'd been quite vocal about her abhorrence of those terrible events. But Erestor was not to blame for this…he was only protecting himself, his people.

"You had no choice, Erestor," she whispered.

Erestor knew that the battle was not his fault but _he_ chose to pick up a sword, _he_ chose to fight rather than flee and that choice haunted him all the days of his life. "I could not close my eyes for many years without seeing the faces of the elves I'd killed."

"How old were you?" Eruanna asked carefully, not wanting to push Erestor too far.

The counselor rested his chin on the top of the elleth's head. "Too young, younger than you are now."

"I cannot imagine," Eruanna shuddered, gripping Erestor tightly.

A single tear ran down the ellon's face. "And for that, I thank Ilúvatar."

The pair sat quietly for some time, taking comfort in each other's company. Eruanna watched the two brothers as they continued telling stories, Arwen at their side. The sight of Elrond's children sitting together brought another question to Eruanna's mind. "Did you know Elrond then?"

Erestor was startled by the sudden break in the silence. It took him a moment him to connect her question with an answer. "No," he said. "He was only a baby when I came to Sirion. I did not meet him until many years later in Lindon."

"Hmmm," Eruanna gazed up in wonder at the ancient ellon. "That's a long time to know someone."

Erestor agreed - it was a long time. "We have been friends for close to six thousand years. We have survived much together." A smile reached Erestor's eyes.

Eruanna saw the light return to Erestor's eyes for the first time since she'd asked that terrible question. She could not imagine having a friend for so many years and was glad that the two ellyn had had each other to pass the ages with. "Do you love him?" She asked without thinking.

It was strange, that question was not one Erestor had ever contemplated, and yet it was so easy for him to answer. "He is my Lord, my friend, my _brother_. Yes, I love him."

Eruanna had never heard Erestor speak so openly before. A memory of a conversation she'd once had with Glorfindel flashed in her mind. _'I__ think he wishes you were his child'._ She looked up at the old ellon, fearing the answer to this next question more than any other she'd ever spoken. "Do you love _me_, Erestor?"

The fear in her voice had not escaped him. She was afraid he would say he did not. Erestor's breath caught in his throat and guilt swelled his heart, knowing he'd waited so long to tell Eruanna how much she meant to him. Erestor hugged the elleth tightly, willing his love for her to show through that embrace. "You are as a daughter to me," he whispered. "I have never loved anyone more."

"Do you mean that?" the hope in Eruanna's voice was undeniable.

Erestor took her chin in his hand and turned her face so he could see her eyes. "Have I ever lied to you, child?"

"No," Eruanna admitted softly, her eyes brimming with tears.

"And I never will."

* * *

They were nearing the end of their journey, the Dimrill Stair lay behind them and they walked along the River Celebrant ever nearer to the Golden Wood. The party was filled with much joy as the mountains fell away behind them and merry tales they shared with one another as they walked along the riverbank. Elladan and Elrohir provided the greatest share of the entertainment as the pair had a great gift for storytelling, though the veracity of their tales was questionable at times. 

"…and then Glorfindel chased after us and somehow he ended up stepping in a springtrap that some careless elf had placed directly in our path." Elladan's voice rose in pitch and volume, making sure that the elf in question who walked at the rear of their company could hear his words clearly.

"And how was it that you missed the trap?" Eruanna asked with great amusement.

"Sheer luck, I assure you." Elladan's eyes swam with great mirth. "I must have been running with such a long stride that I stepped clean over it."

"And you?" Eruanna turned her attention to Elrohir, who had remained silent for most of the telling.

Elrohir smiled playfully at the elleth. "I took to the trees and raced away along the canopy."

Eruanna enjoyed the tale, whether it was true or not. Presently, a question came to her mind she'd not yet thought to ask. "So did he cut himself down?"

"Patience!" Elladan cried as though Eruanna was just about to ruin the very best part of the entire story.

Elrohir picked up where his brother left off and began explaining what occurred after Glorfindel found himself ensnared. "Well you see…we were so glad to have escaped him we sought him not until the dinner bell rang and we realized he had not returned from our little chase."

Elladan nodded dramatically. "We searched and searched and finally we found him hanging upside down in a tree."

A look of puzzlement appeared on Eruanna's face. "Why did he not cut himself down? Glorfindel always carries a hunting knife at his side and a dagger in his boot."

The two brothers shared a mischievous look before Elrohir answered her. "Well it just so happened that on that _particular_ day Glorfindel misplaced his hunting knife."

"And his dagger," Elrohir added.

"Imagine that," Arwen shot her brothers a look of displeasure.

"I know, what are the chances?" Elrohir exclaimed, clearly puzzled as to how the great Balrog Slayer could have forgotten his arsenal.

"When_ my _brothers are involved?" Arwen's comment was directed at Eruanna who worked desperately to keep her laughter from reaching Glorfindel's ears.

Elladan shot his sister an offended look. "You don't mean to imply that we were somehow involved in that mishap?"

"You wound us deeply," Elrohir added, raising a hand to his heart.

Eruanna could not contain her laughter any longer and she was forced to hold onto a tree for support. Glorfindel made his way to the front of the company. He stood at Eruanna's side and flashed the twins a look of displeasure.

"We are close now," Glorfindel announced, seeing the tree line of the Great Wood less than a mile in front of them.

Eruanna's laughter came to an abrupt halt as her eyes fell for the first time on Lothlórien, as she had not passed this way on her journey from Mirkwood. Eruanna could see the golden glimmer of the mallorn leaves and her heart began pounding nervously in her chest. She'd read much of the Golden Wood and heard many tales of its splendor. But still, it had taken Eruanna many years to feel safe in Elrond's house and a sliver of fear entered her heart at what might await her beneath those trees.

Elrohir took Eruanna's arm in his and led her forward as she'd seemed fixed to the spot. "Come, the Celebrant will lead us to our destination."

"And our welcome," Elladan added quietly.

"What does that mean?" Eruanna whispered in Elrohir's ear. She felt foolish asking aloud.

Elrohir leaned down so that his voice would not be heard by the others. "The elves of Lórien have a special way of greeting new arrivals."

"Oh," Eruanna exclaimed, "and what way is that?" No sooner had they entered the borders of Lórien then Eruanna had her answer.

"Daro!" a commanding voice rang out from the canopy above them and in moments the entire company was surrounded by hooded figures clad in shades of grey.


	16. First impressions

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 16 – First impressions**

"Why is it the elves of Lórien feel the need to be so dramatic?" Elladan asked rather loudly and to no one in particular.

"I'm not sure," Elrohir answered in the same resounding tone, "though I suppose it would get rather boring just sitting up in a tree all day."

The leader of the Lorien wardens stepped forward, drawing back his hood as he did. "My Lords," The ellon bowed to the sons of Celebrían respectfully but as he rose he shot them an irritated look so similar to the one Glorfindel gave them earlier, that Eruanna had to restrain herself from laughing.

The warden then addressed the entire party, "I bid you welcome, elves of Imladris, from the Lord and Lady of Lórien."

Glorfindel stepped forward and placed a hand over his heart. "Mae govannen, Haldir of Lorien, it has been some time since last we met."

The warden mirrored the seneschal's gesture, "Lord Glorfindel, it is always an honor."

Arwen stepped forward then, and gave Haldir a friendly smile.

"Lady Arwen," Haldir bowed deeper than he had for Arwen's brothers and Lord Glorfindel and there was no displeasure in his eye upon seeing her.

"Mae govannen, Haldir," Arwen called joyfully, "It has been long since I've had the pleasure of such a welcome." Arwen turned her attention to the guards still surrounding her company.

Haldir gave a small, silent gesture and most of the wardens disappeared into the trees. "We have been counting the moments until your arrival, my Lady. Your grandmother asked that I see you safely to Caras Galadhon."

Eruanna watched these exchanges in silence, her eyes studying the strange garb the Lórien wardens wore, their elegantly crafted bows, and the rather imposing ellon that appeared to be their leader. Glorfindel had called him by name and the way in which they had greeted one another signified they were peers in rank and position (although Eruanna highly doubted the other ellon had ever slayed a Balrog). Arwen endeavored to lighten the mood and with formal introductions over the Imladris elves and the Lórien wardens proceeded to greet each other with warm hand shakes and light laughter, exchanging news from the two great realms.

Haldir and Glorfindel clasped arms. Both ellyn disliked ceremony and were grateful the formal greetings were done. The two old warriors spoke at length of orc raids, and intelligence reports, and the coming darkness until Haldir heard a strange sound coming from behind him…_footsteps_.

He spun around quickly and immediately identified the source of the noise, a small brown haired elleth walking beside the old Counselor. Haldir stared longer than was appropriate at the elleth; there was something strange about her that Haldir could not put his finger on. Glorfindel must have noticed the odd gaze he cast on her for the Seneschal spoke before Haldir could question him.

"That is Eruanna, Lady Arwen's ward. She is the granddaughter of Haldor of Mirkwood who passed into the west." These words did not seem to completely satisfy the Marchwarden. Glorfindel saw the nervous suspicion in Haldir's gaze and decided it best to answer the ellon's unspoken question. "Her father was human."

"She is peredhel?" His voice rose slightly and Haldir eyed the elleth warily.

"She is." Glorfindel answered. "Lord Elrond took her into his home when she was an elfling, Lady Arwen is her guardian." Glorfindel considered the Marchwarden carefully. The ellon had not yet taken his eyes off of Eruanna and it was making Glorfindel uncomfortable. "Is something wrong, Haldir?"

Haldir returned his attention swiftly to Glorfindel, "No." he stated firmly, his face returning to its former unreadable state. "I was simply unaware that anyone would be accompanying the Lady during this visit," Haldir answered the question smoothly knowing the Balrog Slayer's eyes were upon him. It was not quite a lie but nor was it the precise answer to Glorfindel's question.

"Lord Erestor and Eruanna will be accompanying her." Glorfindel stated, finding it strange the Lady had not informed her wardens of who they would be escorting.

Haldir nodded, "I will see them all safely to the great city."

"I thank you." Glorfindel remained ill at ease with regards to the Marchwarden and his scrutiny of Eruanna, but knowing him an ellon of his word, let the matter rest.

While the wardens of Lórien and Imladris exchanged tidings, Eruanna had a moment to retrieve her scarf from her pack. Unfortunately, her bag sat lashed upon her horse's saddle and at the angle it was positioned combined with her lack of height, untying the bundle was difficult. Eruanna stood on tip toe straining to reach the second buckle when an unfamiliar voice sounded in her ear.

"May I assist you?"

Eruanna spun around at the sound of the unknown voice to find a tall Lórien warden with light blond hair smiling down upon her.

"Oh," she rested herself back down on the soles of her feet feeling a bit foolish knowing he'd been watching her. "Yes, thank you," she said finally. The ellon easily undid the buckles that Eruanna had been unable to reach. She looked up at him sheepishly. "I'm afraid I don't have a very long reach."

"It is my pleasure. What else is a warden to do but help an elleth in distress?" His words made Eruanna laugh. He lowered her pack to the ground, "There you are, my Lady."

"Thank you again," Eruanna rummaged through her bag until she'd found what she'd been searching for and once retrieved, the ellon returned her bag to the saddle and redid the buckles.

When he finished with the pack, the ellon turned his attention back to Eruanna. "I am Rumil," he placed a hand over his heart, bowing slightly, "and what might your name be?"

Eruanna once again felt a flush of embarrassment for not having introduced herself when the warden first offered her assistance, but now that he'd asked, she was unsure if she wished to tell him her name. Eruanna did not often receive a favorable response from others with regards to its meaning, but the warden's blue eyes sparkled and his face held no hint of malice. "Eruanna, my name is Eruanna," she said softly, holding her breath in fear of what he might say. His response was not what she expected.

"The perfect name for such a lovely elleth!" Rumil proclaimed, his face holding nothing but sincerity.

Eruanna shook her head in disbelief, recalling hurtful words spoken long ago. _You don't appear very graceful to me._ She studied the ellon carefully. He appeared sincere, but never having met him before today, she could not be sure. "Few would say so," she replied flatly.

Rumil was surprised by the way Eruanna dismissed his ardent words_. Does she think I mock her?_ He did not wish her to think so. "Then they would be fools."

The force behind that statement startled Eruanna…the power, the surety with which he spoke. _If he lies, then he could deceive Annatar, himself. _The warden's words reached out to the depths of Eruanna's soul; she wanted so much to believe he spoke true.

Rumil hoped the elleth would hear the sincerity in his voice. She blushed slightly, the coloring of her cheeks and the light that reached her eyes told him she had. Rumil took her hand and lifted it to his lips, placing a chaste kiss on the back of her hand, "I hope to see you again soon, Eruanna."

A shiver ran down Eruanna's spine as his lips made contact with her skin. It was as if the lightning that jumped from cloud to Earth lived inside her body. The warden gave her one last smile and bowed before turning away and disappearing into the trees.

Eruanna watched him go in a daze and stared long into the wood, thinking perhaps their conversation had been merely a dream- but it was not so, for four curious eyes had also marked the encounter.

"I see you've met Rumil." Elrohir's said with a healthy amount of amusement.

Eruanna turned to see Elrohir and his brother standing behind her. Elrohir's eyes were still focused on the spot where the warden had disappeared into the canopy.

"Yes," she said, "he helped me with my pack." Eruanna looked back and forth between the two brothers whose expressions were strangely unreadable. "Do you know him?"

"We have met many times when visiting Lothlórien." Elladan stated. "He is a good friend."

Elrohir nodded, motioning over to the ellon who had first addressed the company, "His brother is Haldir, the Marchwarden of Lórien."

"Oh," Eruanna once again turned her attention to the stern looking ellon. Rumil and his brother appeared in face and form to be close kin, but there was a gentleness in Rumil's eyes that was absent from the Marchwarden's.

"We hope you enjoy your time in the Golden Wood." Elrohir's words brought Eruanna's attention back to the brothers. Elrohir gave her a mischievous smile, the meaning of which went right over Eruanna's head.

Eruanna was about to agree with him, when the phrasing of his words struck her. "Are you not staying, even for a little while?" Eruanna found she'd become fond of Arwen's brothers; she did not wish to see them go.

"We cannot." Elrohir admitted, sadly.

"I'm afraid we have business to attend to in the North," Elladan added, his voice turning serious.

"I see." Eruanna's sighed, her eyes momentarily darkening. She did not know what business it was that called them away, but Eruanna knew better than to ask.

"Fear not, Eruanna." Elrohir pulled the elleth into his arms, placing a kiss on her head. "This is our grandparent's realm and it is protected by powerful magic. No darkness may enter these woods. You will be safe here."

Eruanna heard his words and sighed, "I shall miss your stories." She released her hold on Elrohir only to be taken up in Elladan's arms.

Elladan laughed lightly, hugging the small elleth warmly, "Then we shall have to come up with new ones before the next time we meet."

Eruanna laughed at that, "Just try to keep them realistic, Arwen gets riled up when you exaggerate." She gave the two brothers a not so stern look, wiping away a tear that threatened to fall.

"That's half the fun!" Elladan exclaimed, drawing smiles from both Eruanna and his brother. Elladan's expression became serious once more and his voice sounded much like his father's. "Take care of Arwen and Erestor."

"I will." Eruanna promised.

Elrohir took the elleth's hand in his, giving it a firm squeeze. "And take care of yourself, little sister."

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Glorfindel led the elves of Imladris back to the mountain pass, Elladan and Elrohir rode North on an errand only they (and perhaps their father) knew of, and the three remaining travelers followed Haldir along the hidden paths of Lothlórien to the great tree city. It was a pleasant journey through the wood and a safe one now that they were moving deep within its borders. Eruanna, however, could not help but feel a bit apprehensive. She did her best to put Glorfindel's training to good use, keeping her prints from the trail and the noise she made to a minimum. Still, whenever a twig snapped, the Marchwarden's cool eyes would be upon her in a flash. He made her feel guilty, though for what she could not say, and so by the end of the first day she'd determined to avoid drawing his attention as best she could. Arwen and Erestor noticed none of this or if they did, they no doubt thought it understandable that the Marchwarden would be keeping a close watch on the travelers in his care. It was two days before they arrived at the city gates.

Eruanna had never seen anything that came close to the beauty and splendor of Caras Galadhon. When they first looked upon the hill with its great soaring trees it seemed nothing out of the ordinary, but once they entered its gates…Eruanna found herself at a loss for words. This truly was the heart of Elvendom. Eruanna walked at Erestor's side as they made their way to the palace. There was no telling how far or how long the journey actually took for ellyn and ellith stopped them along the way to bid good day to Arwen, some with bows of respect others with friendly embraces. The light in Arwen's eyes shone more brightly then Eruanna had ever seen it and she knew now why the Lady had fought so hard to return to this place.

They ascended the stair that led to the Lord and Lady's palace. The climb was long and when they reached the top, Eruanna stood in awe. The Lord and Lady came down the stairs to greet them. The Lady glowed brighter than any elf Eruanna had ever seen, even Lord Glorfindel the great Balrog Slayer held no comparison. Her Lord was tall and grave, his silver hair stood out beside the golden tresses of the elves that surrounded him. They were a sight more great and terrible than any she'd ever seen. She lowered her eyes instinctively from the vision of them.

While Eruanna stood in awe of the elven couple, her guardian ran to them and threw her arms around the shining Lady. "Grandmother!" she exclaimed, joy emanating from the depths of her soul.

The Lady wrapped her arms around her granddaughter, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "Arwen." She drew back from the dark haired elleth and took her face in both hands. "Let me see you. It is so good to have you with us again."

Eruanna felt shyness come upon her at being witness to such a tender moment. It reminded her of how Ithilwen greeted her when last they'd met and her heart ached to once again be held in a loving mother's arms.

Lord Celeborn then wrapped Arwen in a powerful embrace, speaking softly into her hair, "Oh, child. We've missed you."

"Grandfather," Arwen held on to the silver ellon as if she was afraid to let go.

"Where are your brothers?" Celeborn asked his granddaughter, concern reaching his eyes.

Arwen let out a tired sigh, "They have business in the North but they promise to return and see you when it is done."

Celeborn frowned, pulling back from Arwen's embrace. "I am sorry they could not take the time now. It has been long since we've had all three of you under these trees."

"I know." Arwen's sadness could be heard in her voice, "They have spent much of the last two hundred years abroad."

Celeborn raised a hand to Arwen's face. His smile drew Arwen back to the present moment and the joy of their reunion. When his granddaughter's face brightened once again, he turned his attention to the other arrivals. "Lord Erestor," he raised a hand to his heart. "It has been too long since you last visited us."

"My Lord, my Lady." Erestor bowed, "With your permission, I should like to dwell once more in your fair land."

Galadriel smiled at the old counselor, an ellon she'd known for many ages. "We welcome you to stay as long as you wish."

"Thank you, my Lady." Erestor returned the Lady's smile easily.

Celeborn turned then to the elleth at Erestor's side. "And who might this be?" He gave Eruanna a kind smile.

"I...," Eruanna's nervousness paralyzed her and she found herself unable to answer Lord Celeborn's question.

"This is my ward, Eruanna." Arwen answered for her. Eruanna met Arwen's smiling eyes, silently thanking the Lady for her assistance.

"Ah, yes, from Mirkwood," the Lord nodded to Eruanna, "Welcome to Lothlórien."

"Thank you, my Lord." Eruanna answered, blushing slightly in her nervousness.

"Such a beautiful child." Galadriel stepped forward, lifting Eruanna's chin to see her eyes.

Eruanna trembled slightly at the intensity of Galadriel's gaze. Her heart wondered at why the Lady would say such a thing to her. Galadriel must have seen the doubt in Eruanna's eyes for Eruanna heard the Lady's voice echo inside her head.

_Never doubt yourself, child, you are beautiful and there are others who see it, too. _

The Lady released her hold on Eruanna leaving her with a smile. She turned then to Erestor, "I have had a talan prepared for you and Eruanna. I believe that will be acceptable to you both."

Erestor knew better than to wonder at how the Lady knew such arrangements would be satisfactory. "Yes, my Lady. Thank you."

Eruanna breathed a sigh of relief; she feared she'd be abandoned by Erestor and Arwen in this great city. That fear began to drain away with the Lady's words and Erestor's favorable response.

"Arwen and I have much to speak of now." Galadriel announced, her eyes catching Arwen's. She gestured to an elleth who stood in the far corner of the room. "I hope you will not mind if Marilla shows you the way."

Erestor took Eruanna's arm in his. "I think we could both use a bit of a rest."

"Then I hope you will dine with us this eve." Lord Celeborn said before Marilla led them from the room.

The counselor raised a hand over his heart, bowing slightly. "We would be honored, my Lord."

Celeborn smiled, "Marilla shall come for you, when the hour arrives."


	17. Friends and lovers

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._**  
**

**Chapter 17 – Friends and lovers**

Eruanna spent the next several days on her own. She kept close to her talan fearful that if she wandered off she might never be able to find her way back. The city was a vast maze of trees and buildings and no one had yet had the time to show Eruanna around. She felt strangely alone in this city, even if there were thousands of elves milling about. Lady Arwen had rooms in her grandparants' talan and although Eruanna dined with the noble family each night, her guardian was constantly being swept away to meetings and events which Eruanna was not permitted to attend. The same was true of Erestor. They had not been in the city twelve hours before a knock at their door and an elaborately written scroll saw Erestor called off to a meeting with Lord Celeborn's counselors…a meeting that, after many days, had yet to be concluded.

Searching for something to occupy her time, Eruanna pulled out the blank journal Erestor gave her and decided to work on her drawings. She'd taken up illustration as a sort of practical hobby, hoping that one day when it was her turn to write great stories that she would be able to illustrate the books herself just like Erestor had done. Prior to their arrival in Lothlórien Eruanna determined to write a diary if her experiences in the Golden Wood and a diary containing pictures drawn by her own hand. Eruanna sat down on the portico, took out her pencils and began to draw the view from her talan. Little by little the wood before her was captured on the blank sheet of paper. Eruanna was so engrossed in her work that she did not hear Marilla approach.

"Your drawing is quite good." Marilla said from over her shoulder.

Eruanna nearly jumped a meter at the sound of Marilla's voice. She looked up to see the blond elleth studying the drawing carefully, as if to make sure Eruanna had captured every tree and twig in sight. Marilla had become a regular visitor in the past week, carrying messages to Eruanna from Arwen, Erestor and the Lady of Lórien. Marilla was several centuries older than Eruanna and yet seemed in many ways much younger. She had a carefree spirit and an easy smile, traits not commonly attributed to Erestor's greatest student.

"Oh, hello." Eruanna relaxed a bit at the sight of the elleth, having just been jolted out of the quiet, meditative state she'd been in prior to her arrival.

"I didn't mean to startle you." Marilla said, feeling badly for having come upon Eruanna in such a way. Arwen had warned her that Eruanna's hearing was not as keen as an elf's, but Marilla was not known for having a quiet presence and had never before surprised another with her approach.

"It's alright." Eruanna brushed aside Marilla's apology, after all, it wasn't her fault that Eruanna did not hear her coming. Eruanna stood abruptly, realizing for the first time that it was rude to stay sitting on the wooden floor when someone was trying to deliver a message. "Did the Lady send you?"

"Actually, she did." Marilla smiled, "She thinks you might like a tour of the city."

Eruanna's face fell slightly. She did want a tour of the city but she had hoped it would be with Arwen or Erestor. Eruanna sighed, "Arwen was supposed to show me around yesterday but she was called away and Erestor…." Eruanna shrugged.

"Lord Celeborn's advisors have abducted him." Marilla nodded in understanding.

"I've barely seen him for the last five days!" Eruanna cried before plopping down on one of the benches lining the porch.

Marilla could not imagine being in Eruanna's position. She'd lived in Lothlorien all her life and knew practically every ellon and elleth by name. The only two people Eruanna knew in the city had been dragged off on business, leaving Eruanna alone.

_Well, that is something I can remedy._

"That is why the Lady asked me to keep you company. I think she knew you were feeling a bit displaced, what with Lady Arwen and Lord Erestor called away nearly every moment of the day." Marilla said this as she took a seat next to Eruanna.

"You don't have to." Eruanna looked up at the other elleth. She did not want Marilla to feel obliged to keep her company. "I'm sure you'd rather be doing something else."

"Don't be silly!" Marilla exclaimed. "If you turn me away I'll only spend the rest of the day standing around the palace waiting to be called on. I'd much rather be outside in the fresh air. What say you?" Marilla hoped Eruanna would accept her offer. She'd much rather spend time with a female agemate than carrying trays of tea to council rooms.

Eruanna could detect no deception in Marilla's bright eyes and decided it would not be so bad to have someone other that Arwen and Erestor to talk to. "I suppose I wouldn't mind the company and perhaps a better view of the city."

"Excellent!" Marilla jumped to her feet. "I'll show you the very best places to swim and eat. And the best place to watch the stars." She grabbed Eruanna's arm dragging her to her feet, "It will be wonderful, come on!"

* * *

"The Lady's grandsons are quite handsome." Marilla was still in awe of the fact that Eruanna had spent weeks traveling with them _and_ lived in their home.

"I suppose they are." Eruanna shrugged. She was not sure exactly how they had come upon the topic of Elrohir and Elladan but the way in which Marilla simply swooned at their names made Eruanna a bit uncomfortable.

"You suppose?" Marilla nearly fell over at her companion's words. _Was the elleth blind?_ "Have you not seen them? You do live in their house, don't you?" She could not believe Eruanna was not in agreement with her over Lord Elrohir and Elladan's admirable physical qualities.

"Yes, but the Lords are away much of the time." It was true. Eruanna rarely saw them and it was only on this last visit that she had developed any sort of relationship with them.

"But when they are in Imladris, what do you think of them?" Marilla was curious as to why this question was so difficult for Eruanna to answer.

_What do I think of them?_ A fine question, but Eruanna was not sure how to respond. They were both very beautiful - a fine mixture of their father, and after seeing both Galadriel and Arwen together, what Eruanna assumed to be a beautiful mother.

"They are both fair of face." Eruanna could admit that much, but their beauty was overshadowed by darkness, that same shadow that for many years had warned Eruanna to keep her distance. "I think, perhaps, when you know someone personally, you see more of them than what is on the surface."

Marilla had to agree with that. She'd known many a handsome ellon who was not so very attractive upon more careful scrutiny. Marilla did not wish to delve further into what it was Eruanna saw in the twin Lords, as she could tell the subject was upsetting her. "Lord Erestor!" she called out suddenly.

"What about him?" Eruanna's face carried a rather puzzled expression.

Marilla raised an eyebrow at her, "There are many ellith in Lothlórien who've tried to ensnare Lord Elrond's Counselor. They will no doubt attempt to do so during this visit. I'd think him quite a fine catch myself, if it were not for his seriousness."

Eruanna thought about the ellon who she thought of as a father. Erestor could be a stern teacher and a rather intimidating Lord but Eruanna knew him much better than that. She'd been held in loving embraces and seen the gentleness in his heart. She loved him very much. "Erestor isn't like that once you get to know him, he is very kind and compassionate," she paused, "though I will admit, he does have a rather severe aspect which makes his gentler qualities difficult to see."

Eruanna continued walking along the path oblivious to the look Marilla was giving her and the fact that she'd stopped in her tracks. Realizing she'd lost her companion, Eruanna looked back and found Marilla staring at her oddly, "What is it?"

Marilla grew a bit uneasy for the first time during their long circuit around the city. This particular topic of conversation had not been stumbled upon _entirely_ by accident. Many of the court ladies had beseeched Marilla to interrogate Eruanna and now that the moment had come, she wasn't sure she wanted to proceed. Marilla decided at last to simply tell Eruanna of the gossip-mongerers' talk rather than lie about it. "Some of the ladies were wondering…"

When Marilla didn't continue Eruanna prodded her, "Wondering what?"

"…why you and Lord Erestor are sharing a talan." Marilla finished the sentence quickly.

"Why…," It took a moment for Eruanna to register what it was Marilla had just said and another moment to realize the implication of her words. It was Eruanna's turn to babble. "They don't…they think…me and Erestor!" Eruanna nearly chocked on the words, shaking her head vehemently. "He's my teacher…my friend…he's like my father. That is all!"

"I told them so." Marilla admitted proudly. She'd told those foolish ladies that he and Eruanna were not a couple but they had not listened.

"You did?" Eruanna was surprised by Marilla's confession and even more so by the fact that she'd given her relationship with Erestor any thought at all.

"I've seen the two of you together. You are not lovers." Marilla's stated matter-of-factly.

"Of course not!" Eruanna could not imagine why the others would think so.

Marilla smiled at the elleth and taking Eruanna's arm in hers, began leading her once again down the path. "So then, who might you like to have as a lover?"

Eruanna's eyes widened at Marilla's terribly direct question and she answered without thinking. "No one!"

Marilla gave Eruanna a disbelieving smile. "No one?"

Eruanna found the whole idea completely foreign. It was not something anyone had ever asked her nor was it something she'd ever thought about. All of the ellyn she knew in Imladris were teachers and guardians and friends. All of them looked at Eruanna as a child, a member of the family and Eruanna felt the same. There was no one that Eruanna thought of in that way…as if on cue a flash of memory shot to the front of Eruanna's mind. A memory of a tall blond warden helping her with her pack, his smiling eyes, his lips brushing the skin of her hand… _Rumil._ "I…maybe…," she found herself saying.

"Ohhhhh, there is someone," Marilla danced joyfully at Eruanna's side, "do tell."

Eruanna shook her head, aware that Marilla would no doubt _know_ the ellon about whom she thought. "It's not…I don't really know him."

"You don't _have_ to know him!" Marilla exclaimed. _This elleth is hopeless._ Marilla decided that very instant to find out from Eruanna whom it was she thought of and to divine a way of getting them together. "Who is he? What does he look like?"

"This is ridiculous." Eruanna was feeling backed into a corner and had no intention of telling anyone about her thoughts of Rumil. "I don't wish to continue this discussion."

Marilla heard the anger in Eruanna's voice and immediately revised her original plan of getting the name from her. "You must really like him if you will not tell me who he is."

Eruanna sighed, "I do not know him well enough to like him." _Why doesn't this silly elleth understand?_

"Would you like to?" Marilla asked, her tone serious.

"Like to what?" Eruanna voice sounded tired.

"Would you like to know him?" There was none of the earlier overexcited jubilance in Marilla's voice. It was merely an honest question and Eruanna gave her an equally honest answer.

"I suppose," Eruanna said slowly, "it would be nice to see him again." She thought of the warden's last words to her.

_I hope to see you again soon, Eruanna._

Did he truly wish to see her again?

"Well, if you tell me his name…," Marilla suggested once more but she was cut off by Eruanna.

"Perhaps, some other time," Eruanna continued down the path. "Shall we discuss something else?"

"I suppose we could think of something else to speak of," Marilla said with an exaggerated sigh, "but it won't be anywhere near as interesting."


	18. Suspicions

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 18 – Suspicions**

**Third Age 2700**

Haldir kept watch. It was his nature. After all, it was not mere chance that he was the Marchwarden of the Golden Wood. He'd earned the title through millennia of faithful service defending the realm. Haldir's effectiveness was due in large part to his distrusting nature. It would not be too far from the truth to say Haldir trusted no one within Lothlórien or without aside from his brothers, the Lady Galadriel and her Lord. The Marchwarden's trust was not easily earned nor willingly given to any be they man or ellon or Istar alike. His caution was not completely unjustified. Haldir had seen much in his travels beyond the Wood, perhaps too much, and it made him distrustful of all creatures great and small that might, by there very existence, threaten his dear Lothlórien. It was his duty, his calling, to stamp out trouble before it entered the borders of the land. Whether by bow or sword or dagger Haldir of Lórien would not permit evil to intrude upon the Golden Wood.

Haldir was normally quite anxious to return to the borders after escorting guests to Caras Galadhon, as that was where he was most useful and where his purpose in life was most readily fulfilled. Protecting Lórien normally required him to patrol the borders… but not this time. A threat had been invited into the very heart of his homeland and Haldir could not raise a hand in her defense. All he could do was watch and watch he did…

Haldir followed the pair as they made their way about the city. It was several days ago that Marilla had seen fit to take her on a tour of the city and they had not stayed put ever since. It appeared the Lady had assigned someone to keep an eye on her after all, but that fact did little to dissuade Haldir from carrying out his own surveillance. He was rather displeased that Marilla had taken to dragging her around the countryside. It had been easier to keep an eye on her prior to Marilla's interference. Haldir had a perfect view of the talan she shared with Elrond's counselor from his very own balcony, and had been able to keep a furtive eye on her from there.

On this particular day he followed them to the market where elves gathered to trade foodstuffs and other goods. It was difficult, keeping the pair in his sights what with ellyn and ellith constantly stopping to question him or involve him in one conversation or another. When they had collected what appeared to be food for a midday meal they headed off on one of the northern paths. Haldir excused himself from a conversation he was only half-heartedly participating in and followed swiftly behind. He traveled along the tree paths watching them as they made their way along the forest floor below. They stopped aside a small stream and rested their feet in its cool water. Haldir wished they would return to _her _talan as it would make his task far easier. He waited for them to move on, occupying his mind by drawing up the next border rotation schedule in his head, never once taking his eyes off the pair.

"Haldir?" A deep female voice drew his attention from the stream below.

Haldir spun around in a flash. "My Lady?" Surprise mixed with a nervous sense of foreboding found their way into those words. Haldir bowed respectfully to Galadriel, worried about what it was that brought her so far from the heart of the city. He found it doubtful that they met here by chance.

Galadriel smiled warmly at her most loyal subject, "What is it that has my Marchwarden so entranced that I am able to come upon him unnoticed?" Galadriel placed a delicate hand on the rail overlooking the small stream. Marilla and Eruanna sat laughing merrily together.

"Eruanna?" The Lady's eyes darkened momentarily, all of the age and wisdom she possessed evident in their depths. "Is she the reason you have not returned to the borders?"

Haldir was taken aback by his Lady's words and the implication that he was shirking his duty to her and the realm. He was quick to defend himself. "My duty is to protect you, my Lady, and Lothlórien."

Galadriel knew Haldir's loyalty was unquestionable and she had not meant to imply he'd been negligent. She merely wished to discuss the unexpected change in his schedule. Haldir was an ellon who loved routine and cared little for change. Galadriel knew only something of great importance would keep the Marchwarden away from the borders and she'd had some suspicion Eruanna was that _something_. She responded at last to the meaning behind Haldir's last statement. "And you think we need protection from this elleth?" Galadriel held him with her fathomless eyes.

"She is not an elleth." It was the first and only response that came to Haldir's mind at his Lady's question.

"No?" Galadriel looked down at Eruanna and her companion. It was not difficult to see the difference between them. There was something about Eruanna, something indefinable but yet clear to every elf that looked upon her. _No, she is not an elf, but she is not the only one._

Galadriel fixed Haldir with a serious look, admonishing him with her words. "Do you watch Arwen with such suspicion?"

Haldir's jaw nearly fell open at his Lady's query. "No, of course not…," Haldir was horrified by the implication that he might spy on Lady Arwen as she went about her day.

A wave of confusion flooded the Marchwarden's mind and he could not set himself aright. He knew precisely what the Lady was getting at. Logic had little to do with his contradictory feelings for Arwen and this peredhel. There was no reason why he should trust one and not the other. It was only that perhaps Haldir had never seen Lady Arwen as anything other than the daughter of Celebrían, granddaughter of his Lord and Lady, to whom he'd sworn an oath of allegiance more than an age past.

Haldir tried to give speech to the myriad of thoughts that clouded his mind but they sounded weak and feeble to his ears. "I have traveled beyond these borders many times. I have seen much evil in the race of men."

Galadriel shook her head, disappointed to hear these words. "She might not be an elf, Haldir, but nor is she a man." Galadriel studied the ellon before her carefully, wondering if he would heed her words. "You cannot blame her for crimes committed by her mortal kin."

The look in the Marchwarden's eyes told her he was more than comfortable laying such blame on Eruanna. "You do not agree?" She stared coolly at him, awaiting an answer.

Haldir thought long before responding. He could not lie to the Lady for she had a power to see through such deception. "I find it difficult to separate my feelings for her from those of the men I've met in my travels," Haldir admitted, no longer able to meet those ancient penetrating eyes.

"I see." Galadriel was finding her patience sorely tested by this stubborn ellon. She turned narrow eyes upon Haldir in one last attempt to shock him to his senses. "Do you blame me then, for the evils committed by my house? Do you lay my uncles' deeds at my feet, or those of my cousins?"

"Of course not!" Haldir cried, aghast. There was no one in Arda Haldir respected more than Lady Galadriel. She was the light in the Wood, the power that kept the darkness at bay. That she might believe he thought ill of her filled Haldir once more with horror.

"And yet you hold Eruanna responsible for all the evil deeds of men?"

Haldir had nothing to say in his defense. Reason called upon him to listen to his Lady. Haldir knew in his mind that she was not to blame for the horrors he'd seen committed in mortal lands. Yet he could not silence that voice that warned him to keep her in his sights.

Galadriel let out a tired sigh. She had done as much as she could to open the warden's eyes. Haldir had chosen his path and after so many ages, Galadriel knew when to simply step aside and allow the future to unfold. She did this with only the slightest bit of hesitation. It was not for Haldir's sake that Galadriel had attempted to alter the paths of fate. It was Eruanna the Lady wished to protect. Galadriel knew the child was strong, but she did not wish any ill to befall her while she dwelled in Lothlórien, not after the tale her granddaughter shared with her.

"She is not much more than a child, Haldir. Remember that."

Haldir bowed his head, unable to continue staring into those ancient eyes, eyes that could see into the depths of his very soul. "Yes, my Lady."

The Lady of the Golden Wood retreated back down the path toward the center of the city. When she disappeared from his sight Haldir turned his attention back to the stream below. They were gone. Haldir had not marked their departure as he'd been distracted by his conversation with the Lady. He stared down at the spot where she had been and tried to take his Lady's words to heart. Lady Galadriel was one of the most ancient and venerable beings in all of Middle Earth. Who was he to challenge her wisdom? He wondered briefly if she had consulted her mirror before speaking with him. Then again, he recalled the numerous occasions she warned him about the Mirror. She told him it showed only shadows of things that might be, that the future was ever changing. If that was so then even Galadriel, with all her wisdom and foresight, could not know for certain if she was a threat.

He thought about their first encounter, only a few short weeks ago. There was something about her that disturbed him that very first day. It was the way she would not meet his eyes; only the guilty look down.

His decision made, Haldir descended the stair and made his way to the edge of the stream. It took him a few minutes to pick up her trail. It was not as easy as Haldir would have thought. Someone, most likely Glorfindel, had taught her the art of stealth but she was young and inexperienced and Haldir had many thousands of years experience as a tracker. He followed the broken twigs and light prints she left behind. The tracks led further north in the direction of one of the less frequented lakes at the border of the city.

Haldir took his time, not wanting them to catch sight of him. Half an hour later he reached the edge of the lake. Haldir stayed behind the treeline, unable to spot either of them on the sandy shore. He moved further north toward the waterfalls on the far side of the lake.

As he approached the falls Haldir thought he heard two voices coming from ahead of him. He recognized the one voice as belonging to her. The second sounded familiar but he did not place it until he reached the clearing in the wood and peered out from behind a small mallorn. All he saw was blood…blood on her hands. A cold fury rose from the depths of Haldir's soul at the sight and every one of Galadriel's words vanished from his memory. Haldir emerged from the trees. Instinct overwhelmed reason and he rushed toward her in a blind rage.


	19. A day at the lake

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 19- A day at the lake**

Eruanna awoke to the singing of the birds. She looked out the window. It was a glorious day! She jumped out of bed and dressed quickly knowing that her companion could arrive at any minute. Eruanna emerged from her room to find Erestor already midway through breakfast.

"Eruanna," the ellon smiled brightly up at her, "You seem to be in good spirits this morning."

"It is a beautiful day." She took her seat across from Erestor, quickly filling her plate with an assortment of fruits and pastries, eating quickly.

"Calm yourself, child," Erestor laughed lightly, "the food will not vanish from your plate."

Eruanna blushed at Erestor's chiding. Her behavior might be a bit unladylike but she was in a hurry. "Marilla will be here any time now. She's going to take me to a lake with a waterfall."

"You've seen waterfalls before. Rivendell is home to many." Erestor replied matter-of-factly.

"I know, but this is a _Lórien_ waterfall!" Eruanna exclaimed, as if her mentor had failed to see the obvious.

"How silly of me," he replied.

Erestor moved to clear his plate and the leftovers from the table. He returned to the table just as Eruanna finished the last bite of her breakfast. He'd missed spending these quiet moments with Eruanna; Lord Celeborn and his counselors had demanded much of his time since his arrival. "Will you be home by dinnertime? I thought we could spend the evening together in Lórien's library."

"Oh!" Eruanna could not contain her surprise. It seemed like ages since she and Erestor had spent a quiet evening together. He'd been so busy, they'd not yet had the chance to explore Lórien's library together. "Yes…if you like."

That was not precisely the response Erestor was expecting. Normally, Eruanna's eyes lit up like stars at the thought of learning. Her response lacked the enthusiasm he was accustomed to. He had only himself to blame. "If you have other plans…." Erestor could not keep his disappointment from showing.

Eruanna immediately realized she'd hurt Erestor with her lackluster response. She was quick to reassure him. "Of course I wish to, I only thought that you would be busy," she replied, a small frown graced her lovely face.

"I'm sorry," Erestor pulled the young elleth into a warm embrace. The counselor knew that he and Arwen had been less than attentive these past few weeks, but it could not be helped. They were not as free as Eruanna; their stations required certain obligations, duties not easily put aside. "I know Arwen and I have been swept up in our duties these last few weeks," he gave her a gentle squeeze, "but soon we will both be free of these official obligations and we will have more time together."

"I understand." Eruanna smiled up at her teacher. She knew that Arwen and Erestor were not ordinary elves and had responsibilities greater than hers. It had been more difficult to accept before she'd had Marilla to keep her company. "Marilla has been a good friend. I enjoy her company."

"I am glad." It was strange… Marilla was not exactly the type of elleth Erestor would have chosen as a companion for his student, and yet, the effect she had on Eruanna was nothing less than remarkable. Marilla's lightheartedness was infectious and Erestor marked the change she had on Eruanna. It made him wonder if perhaps Eruanna had spent too much time with old warriors and scholars and not enough time with elves her own age.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

"That's her!" Eruanna moved swiftly to the door and flung it open revealing a tall blond elleth with smiling eyes. Marilla entered the talan and bowed her head in Erestor's direction.

"Good morning, Lord Erestor." She gave Eruanna's guardian a warm smile.

"Marilla," Erestor accepted her greeting with a nod and offered up one of his own, "good day to you."

The elleth turned back to Eruanna. "Eruanna, come on!" she exclaimed, excitement clear in her voice and carriage. "If we don't hurry the fruit venders will be out of wild berries before we get there!"

Eruanna shook her head at her friend's needless fussing. It wasn't as if there weren't plenty of berries in the forest. "We _can_ pick our own on the way."

"There's no time!" Marilla began dragging Eruanna towards the door. "Goodbye Lord Erestor!" She shouted over her shoulder before closing the door behind them.

"Have a pleasant day!" Erestor called after them as they disappeared from sight.

* * *

Eruanna plopped down on the ground beside the falls and pulled out her journal. The vista was absolutely beautiful and she began drawing. Marilla shook her head, frustrated by her companion's ability to spend hours on end reading books and drawing pictures of trees.

Marilla danced around the glade, amusing herself by singing a song while her companion focused on capturing the scene.

Eruanna closed her eyes momentarily. Marilla was singing one of her favorite songs, on that she and her grandmother sang together long ago.

Marilla halted her singing abruptly upon catching sight of her friend. Eruanna had stopped drawing and her expression looked troubled. "Eruanna, are you alright?"

Eruanna opened her eyes and looked up at her friend. "Oh, yes, I'm fine," she lied quickly.

"No you're not fine. What's wrong?" Marilla plopped down at Eruanna's side.

Eruanna shrugged lightly, keeping her eyes on her work. "It's just, my grandmother… we sang that song together when I was young."

Eruanna had spoken of her grandparents before with Marilla and the elleth was well aware that the couple had sailed west. Marilla understand how her song could bring back old memories of her grandmother. An idea sprung suddenly to her mind, that perhaps Eruanna would like to sing the song with another once more. "Why don't you sing it with me? Perchance it will echo across the sea and she will know you think of her still."

"No," Eruanna shook her head vehemently, "I don't like to sing anymore."

Marilla studied her friend carefully before responding. Eruanna hadn't met her eyes since they'd begun this conversation and the elleth had divined some time ago what that meant. "You're lying."

"What?" Eruanna's head shot up at her friend's surprisingly accurate accusation. "How do you…"

"You look down when you're uncomfortable. I've seen you do it before," Marilla explained. She gave Eruanna an apologetic smile; she had no desire to upset her friend any further.

"Oh," Eruanna flushed with embarrassment. She hated being weak. The only thing she hated more than her own weakness was when others were witness to it.

Marilla took her friend's hand in hers. "You can tell me about it if you want, or not, it's your decision."

Eruanna looked up into Marilla's kind eyes. She really was a good friend and a good listener and Eruanna hated lying, especially to her friends. "Someone once told me my voice was terrible…he laughed at me." She looked away towards the falls remembering that day long ago.

Marilla huffed, her expression indignant. "Well, no one is perfect. You shouldn't allow the opinions of insignificant ellyn to trouble you. Besides, we are near to the foot of the falls. If we move closer, the roar of the water will mask any imperfection in your voice."

Eruanna laughed at her friend's ridiculous suggestion. "I'm not getting any closer. The sound will deafen me!"

"Then you won't have to worry about what your voice sounds like. You can sing as loudly as you want." Marilla winked playfully at her companion.

"You're mad." Eruanna found herself laughing heartily.

"So I've been told. Ah, well." Marilla took in their beautiful surroundings, searching for something other than singing to occupy her time. "What can I do while you finish your drawing?"

"I don't know." Eruanna's eyebrow rose mischievously, "What about reciting the names of all the most beautiful ellyn in the realm?"

"It wouldn't take but a minute. There aren't that many." Marilla let out an exasperated sigh and lay down on the soft grass, staring up at the sky. She wiled away the time studying the figures the clouds made but a short while later the quiet peace of the glade was broken, "Oh!" Marilla sat up quickly.

Eruanna jumped at Marilla's sudden and unexpected exclamation. "What's wrong?"

"I'll collect flowers to decorate your hair!" Marilla jumped to her feet and scanned the riverbank and surrounding wood.

"My hair?" Eruanna was less than enthusiastic at her friend's newest idea.

"It will be lovely!" Marilla ignored Eruanna's less than exuberant response. She picked up her basket and headed off along the shoreline looking for wildflowers. "I'll be back," she called over her shoulder as she went.

Eruanna watched her companion disappear from sight. She wasn't looking forward to having her head turned into a flower garden but if it made Marilla happy then she would suffer through it somehow. Eruanna's attention was drawn once more to the scene before her and her hand moved to capture the sight forever with charcoal and paper. The view was so entrancing that she failed to notice she was no longer alone in the small glade. It was the shadow that fell across her face that announced the stranger's arrival. She lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the sun's glare. It hid the newcomer's face from view but the voice that greeted her had not been forgotten.

"Mae govannen, lovely one."


	20. Misunderstandings

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 20-****Misunderstandings**

**Third Age 2700**

"Mae govannen, lovely one." Rumil smiled down at the elleth, who sat perched on a mossy rock. She raised a delicate hand to her face, shielding her eyes from the midday sun. He stepped to the side, allowing her to see his face unhindered by Anor's blinding rays.

"Oh," Eruanna cried in surprise. She rose quickly to her feet, abandoning her drawings and turned her surprised attention to the ellon before her. "What are you doing here?" Eruanna had not seen a soul since she and Marilla abandoned the busier paths of Caras Galadhon. She was caught completely off guard by Rumil's sudden appearance.

Rumil smiled brightly, "I said I hoped to see you again, did I not?"

Eruanna's eyes swept over the secluded lake. They were nearly an hour's stroll to the center of town and in the opposite direction of the border where the two of them first met. "And you just happened to be passing by?"

Rumil followed her gaze as it wandered across the open expanse, "Not exactly… I've been looking for you."

This confession made Eruanna uneasy. Why would anyone be searching for her, and more importantly, how did he find her? Eruanna was always careful about covering her tracks, but perhaps she'd become lax since her arrival in the Golden Wood. Did he track her here? "How…how did you find me?" Suspicion was clear in her voice and eyes.

"Perhaps my fëa sensed you were near…" Rumil offered with a playful smile. He could not withhold his laughter as Eruanna's eyebrow lifted in a clear expression of disbelief. He shrugged, conceding the unlikelihood of such an event taking place, "or, I might have stopped by your talan and asked Lord Erestor where I could find you."

"Erestor told you where I was?" she questioned, warily. Eruanna herself hadn't known exactly where she was going this morning and found it unlikely that Erestor had been able to direct the warden to her location.

"He didn't know, exactly," Rumil paused a moment before continuing. "He said you were visiting a lake with a waterfall and this is the most spectacular one I could think of." He gestured over towards the falls and breathed in the fresh scent of the mist. He and his brothers spent many a day in this spot in their youth and he favored it still.

Marilla told her this was the most beautiful waterfall in the entire realm. If that was so, it wouldn't be too difficult for someone to guess where she might be spending the day. "And if I wasn't here?" She asked suddenly, wondering at the ellon's strange determination to seek her out.

Rumil answered without hesitation. "Then I would have kept looking for you." Of course he'd keep searching. He'd waited weeks to see her again.

Eruanna was unnerved by the warden's prompt response. Why would anyone spend so much time looking for her? "Why would you do that?"

"Why?" Rumil repeated, a bit unsure of the direction this conversation was going. He felt like he was being interrogated by Haldir after a mishap on the fences. He had hoped Eruanna would be pleased to see him. He thought he'd seen interest reflected in her eyes, that day on the border. _Does she play with me, or was I mistaken?_ He answered her question somewhat hesitantly, not wishing to reveal too much of his feelings should Eruanna not return them. "I wanted to see you," he paused, choosing his words carefully, "and I thought, perhaps, you might like to see me. I only just returned from the borders." That very morning, in fact... he'd bathed and changed out of his uniform before hurrying to Eruanna's talan.

Rumil silently pondered the past several weeks. They'd seemed interminable. His mind had drifted far from Lórien's borders after the departure of Lady Arwen's party and it displeased Orophin greatly. "I think my brother was glad to be rid of me," he added, laughing quietly to himself.

"The Marchwarden?" Eruanna was confused. She'd seen Lord Haldir almost every day since he'd brought her to Caras Galadhon.

Rumil shook his head. "No, not Haldir, my brother Orophin, he is the second oldest. He says I am no good on patrol when distracted." That was something of an understatement. Orophin had been quite annoyed by his lack of concentration.

* * *

"What is the matter with you brother?" Orophin kicked Rumil lightly in his side. He'd walked right up to his brother as he sat at his post and Rumil barely even noticed his arrival. "You've been distracted ever since Lady Arwen's party arrived." 

"It's nothing." Rumil replied a bit too quickly.

"Nothing," Orophin huffed, his expression clearly one of disbelief. "This nothing would not happen to have a name, would she?"

Rumil wasn't the only one who'd seen how lovely Lady Undomiel looked, even in her travel clothes. Orophin could gaze upon her all day and night and never grow weary of her.

"A name?" Rumil gave his brother a confused look.

"Come now…who do you think you're talking to… Haldir?" Orophin plopped down at his brother's side.

"Be nice." Rumil chided.

"I'm always nice." Orophin gave his brother a sly smile causing both ellyn a fit of laughter. "Come Rumil, I will not think less of you for dwelling on the Evenstar. Her light does not fade quickly from one's mind."

"Lady Arwen?" It took a moment for Rumil to realize his brother's mistake. "The Lady is as lovely as ever she was, but I do not think of her."

Confusion flashed across Orophin's face. He'd been certain Lady Arwen's arrival was the cause of his brother's distractedness. Orophin's concern for Rumil deepened suddenly; he hoped it was not something dire that plagued his brother's thoughts. "Oh, I simply thought…then what is it that has captured your attention, dear brother?"

"Lady Eruanna," Rumil exhaled deeply.

"Eruanna?" Orophin's voice rose in surprise. "Lady Arwen's charge?"

"Aye," Rumil could not keep his thoughts from straying to the elleth even thought he'd been in her presence for mere moments. The instant he laid eyes on her, standing on tip-toe, struggling to reach her bag, Rumil was overcome by a strange emotion. He carried no conscious memory of moving to her side…he'd merely appeared there somehow and found himself offering her aid. His feet moved without his direction as if they knew better than his mind what his heart desired. She was perfect. Even in the shadow of the Evenstar, of Luthien reborn, Rumil's eyes could see only Eruanna and his heart had never beheld anything so beautiful.

Orophin watched the change in his brother's demeanor, his unfocused eyes staring out into the distance. Orophin was no stranger to the symptoms his brother was displaying, symptoms of the only malady to which the Firstborn fell victim. Orophin prayed that what his brother was experiencing was mere infatuation and that it would pass quickly. It was not that Orophin thought ill of the peredhel, on the contrary, he'd been friends with the sons of Elrond for many years. No, it was not _his_ opinion Orophin was concerned with. He may not have noticed his _younger_ brother's interest in the elleth, but he'd marked well enough his _older_ brother's reaction to her arrival, subtle though it was. "Haldir will not be pleased," Orophin stated darkly.

Rumil's attention returned abruptly to his brother. "What mean you?"

Orophin shook his head sadly, "You, my dear brother, were too busy eying the elleth to notice how Haldir looked at her."

"And how was that?" Concern could be heard in Rumil's voice. Rumil respected his oldest brother's opinion on most things, but he also knew that Haldir was the least trusting ellyn he'd ever known. It was part of the reason why he made such an excellent Marchwarden. It was also the character trait that made him appear cold and detached to those who did not know him well. It was the one trait that he and Haldir did _not _share. _Surely Haldir does not believe the elleth to be a threat_.

The worry that clouded Rumil's eyes was not missed by Orophin. Perhaps he'd been wrong to mention Haldir. "Never mind," he said dismissively, "it matters not." Orophin made to stand but was halted by a firm hand on his arm.

Rumil held his brother in place, unwilling to let the matter drop so easily. "Tell me."

Orophin let out an apprehensive sigh. He had no wish to burden Rumil with thoughts of their older brother, but the grip on his arm told him he wouldn't be released until the younger's question was answered. "He was not happy. You know how he feels about outsiders, Rumil, even our _own_ kin."

Rumil nodded absently. "I know." His mind dredged up the many conversations he'd had with his brother about the peoples of Middle Earth. Unlike most Lórien elves, Haldir often traveled abroad to gather news from neighboring lands. Haldir told him many terrible tales of the things he'd witnessed in mortal realms and Rumil knew that those experiences colored Haldir's perception of all who passed near to their borders. Rumil shook his head slightly, unwilling to believe his brother could think ill of Lady Eruanna.

Orophin frowned. He'd been told all of his life that he talked too much. Looking now into his brother's troubled eyes; he wished he'd learned to hold his tongue. "I should not have told you this."

Rumil stared hard into the darkness. "He cannot believe that she poses a threat to Lothlórien."

Orophin wished he could agree with his younger brother. It had been nearly two weeks since Haldir escorted Lady Arwen and her company to Caras Galadhon and he'd not yet returned to his post. "He has not yet returned to the borders," Orophin replied quietly. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and offered him a comforting squeeze before standing gracefully and returning to his post in a neighboring tree.

* * *

"Distracted?" Eruanna questioned.

Rumil's attention was brought back to the present, the memory of his conversation with Orophin fading quickly. "I told you I've been thinking about you." Rumil studied the elleth's expression carefully. He glanced around the glade, taking in the beauty of the falls. Rumil stepped forward, offering Eruanna his hand. "Will you walk with me?"

"I…no." Eruanna withdrew from his outstretched hand, keeping a safe distance between them.

"No?" Rumil could not keep his disappointment from reaching his eyes.

Eruanna's eyes swept the lakeshore in search of Marilla. "My friend, she's coming back." A small tremor shook her voice but went ignored or unnoticed by the ellon at her side.

"We can try to find her if you like." Rumil suggested hopefully, offering her his hand once more.

Eruanna shook her head, retreating further from the warden's proffered arm. "I told her I would wait here." Eruanna tried to stay calm as the ellon continued to advance on her. _There is no reason to worry; I told him I do not wish to walk with him. He will go away and Marilla will return soon. _

Rumil's disappointment turned to concern as he watched the color drain from Eruanna's face. She seemed to have grown ill before his eyes. "Is something wrong, my Lady? You look unwell." Rumil took another step closer.

"I'm fine."

Eruanna replied a bit too quickly and Rumil was not convinced. "You are not fine. You are ill. I can take you to the healers." He reached out to touch the elleth's cheek.

Eruanna stepped away from the ellon before his hand could made contact with her face. It was happening all over again. She was backed into a corner by a strange ellon and there was no way out… but this time Eruanna was not helpless. Years of training under the Balrog Slayer paid off in a precisely executed blow.

Rumil cried out in surprise as the elleth struck him squarely in the face. He backed away from her quickly, clutching his now broken and bloody nose. He looked up at her in confusion just in time to see his brother emerge from the wood, an expression of cold fury on his face.

"I knew it!" Haldir roared as he closed in on the elleth whose hands were stained with his brother's blood. He grabbed her by her upper arms and slammed her against a tree.

"Haldir! Don't!" Rumil cried out between choked breaths as warm liquid dripped down his throat.

"I knew you could not be trusted." Haldir hissed at the elleth, deaf to his brother's plea.

Rumil grabbed his brother about the chest, attempting to break his hold on Eruanna. "Haldir! Brother!" Rumil shouted in Haldir's ear. "Stop this! It was my fault. I should not have." With one powerful jerk Rumil ripped his brother away from Eruanna, causing the elleth to crumple to the ground.

Eruanna didn't have time to react to the charging ellon; she was still reeling from the blow she'd landed on the warden. She sunk to the forest floor in shock, her eyes fixed on her bloodstained hands.

A shrill cry pulled Eruanna's eyes away from them for the first time.

"Eruanna!" Marilla rushed to her companion and dropped quickly to her side. She'd returned to the falls to find her friend curled up at the base of a tree. Her gaze took in the scene, she saw the blood on Eruanna's hands, Rumil's broken nose and the Marchwarden in a rage- his brother restraining him.

"What is going on?" Marilla shouted. "You!" she pointed an accusing finger at the Marchwarden. Marilla knew his temper well and she'd seen his suspicious eyes following Eruanna when the two of them roamed the city together. She knew he was somehow to blame for all of this.

Haldir's anger vanished at the sight of the delicate handmaiden's accusing finger pointed squarely at his chest.

"You! You filthy orch! Get out of here. Get out!" Marilla yelled, closing in on the ellon.

Haldir backed away from Marilla as the elleth advanced on him. His eyes moved nervously between the blond elleth and the dark one curled up at the base of a nearby tree.

Rumil stepped forward between his brother and the handmaiden. He raised his hands in a placative gesture, "Marilla please." He glanced past her shoulder at Lady Eruanna whose eyes were brimming with tears. Rumil pleaded silently with Marilla to cease her raving in favor of tending to her companion.

Marilla turned back to Eruanna, and seeing the state she was in, forgot Haldir and dropped to her knees at the elleth's side and wrapped her arms around the smaller elleth.

Rumil stepped forward hesitantly. "I will retrieve Lord Erestor, he is in his talan," he offered. Rumil wanted to help, but he didn't think Marilla would allow him to sit with Eruanna while _she_ searched for Lord Erestor.

Marilla nodded her assent, her arms still wrapped tightly around her friend's shoulders.

Rumil spun on his heels and ran swiftly past his brother, who stood frozen in place at the edge of the tree line. Rumil ran as fast as his feet would carry him. He had no idea why things had gone so terribly wrong. He'd merely wished to speak to the elleth, walk with her along the riverbank... His broken nose throbbed painfully but the pain was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. He ran harder, hoping Lord Erestor had not yet left his talan.

Rumil reached the top of the stair nearly out of breath and to his great fortune, Lord Erestor sat reading on the porch; he looked up at the sudden intrusion.

"Warden?" Erestor straightened at the sight of the disheveled and bloodied ellon. "What happened? Did you not find Eruanna?"

Rumil shook his head fiercely, his voice uneven. "Lord Erestor. You must come."

Panic reached the old counselor's eyes as he stood. "Eruanna? Is she alright? Has there been an attack?" Erestor grilled the younger ellon.

Rumil shook his head. "No, no attack my Lord."

"What happened?"

Erestor's voice was like stone and it shook Rumil to his core. As a warden, he'd received more commands than he cared to count and knew an order when he heard one. He would not lie to the Lord, but did not know how to explain what happened. "I don't know what happened, my Lord. I merely asked the Lady if she would take a walk with me and she… she hit me. Haldir saw and he overreacted."

Erestor needed no further explanation; his only concern was for the state of his child. "Take me to her. Now!"

Rumil took off down the stair without another word, knowing that Lord Erestor was close on his heels. Rumil was surprised at how easily the old counselor kept pace given his age and sedentary station.

They arrived at the falls in less than thirty minutes.

Erestor dropped to his knees where Marilla and Eruanna sat together. He lifted his hands to her face and rested his forehead against hers. "My child, what happened?"

Eruanna's voice trembled slightly, "I didn't mean to…," she held up her hands, still stained with the warden's blood.

Erestor clasped his child's hands in his, "Hush now, it's alright. Marilla and I will take you home." He took Eruanna by her arms and helped her to her feet.

Rumil watched Lord Erestor carefully…the way he comforted Eruanna and the easy way she accepted his comfort made it obvious: there was great love between them. For a moment Rumil felt a twinge of jealousy but he knew in his heart there was no need, for it was not the love between ellon and elleth that he beheld but the love between parent and child.

Rumil only wished that he could understand what he'd done to cause Eruanna such distress and he prayed this disastrous encounter was not beyond repair. Marilla and Lord Erestor stood on either side of the elleth, offering her the support. Rumil moved aside as they passed.

Erestor turned to the warden and gave him a sharp look. "I think you should have a healer look at that nose, warden."

Rumil raised a hand to his now swollen face; he'd forgotten his own injuries in his concern for Eruanna. He watched Lord Erestor lead Eruanna back to the city. How was he to make this right? Rumil stood motionless for a long time in the shadow of the falls. A long time later he turned back towards the city and headed for the healer's talan, planning his apology along the way.


	21. A melee of thoughts

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 21- A melee of thoughts…a bit too late**

**Third Age 2700**

Haldir's eyes remained fixed on Eruanna and her companion even as Rumil swept past him and disappeared into the forest. Eruanna paid no attention to him; she merely sat staring at her own hands in horror, whimpering quietly in Marilla's arms. Words that Haldir had forgotten in his rage echoed in his mind, as though the speaker were standing right beside him.

_She is not much more than a child, Haldir._

Watching her, curled in upon herself, weeping in Marilla's arms, Haldir could do nothing but admit that the Lady was right.

_And I am a fool. _

The Marchwarden's blood froze with the realization of what he'd just done. He'd assaulted an elleth…one who was supposed to be under _his_ protection. The very thought sickened him. Unable to form any words, and knowing Marilla would accept none, Haldir backed away from the pair and faded into the woods.

Haldir walked slowly back towards the center of the city in silent confusion. He played the memory of what had only just occurred over again in his mind. He'd seen the blood on her hands and his brother's face and that was when things became difficult to decipher.

One thing was certain; he'd practically thrown the elleth into a tree and with not a small amount of force. He must have injured her, but she barely even reacted to him. She'd looked shocked, but the expression was there before he'd grabbed her, when she'd just stood there staring down at her hands.

What happened before he arrived in the clearing? Haldir thought he recalled hearing Rumil's raised voice during the melee.

_Did he say it was his fault? How could that be? _

Rumil would never give an elleth reason to assault him. He was the kindest, gentlest ellon Haldir knew. There were times, in fact, that Haldir considered Rumil unsuited for life as a warden. Not that his brother had ever failed in his duty to protect their homeland, it was only that Rumil's personality was better suited to arts of song and poetry than of war. Haldir knew that the only reason his baby brother had joined the warden ranks was to earn his love and approval.

_How the silly elfling had idolized him!_

It had once made a younger Haldir terribly uncomfortable, the way his baby brother hung on his every word and action. Perhaps it was because he'd never felt comfortable around elflings that Haldir had at first been so distant with the much younger Rumil. Orophin had no trouble with their youngest brother when he was born, though both he and Haldir had found his arrival to be quite unexpected. Most elves had all of their children within a span of a few centuries. Haldir was only two hundred years older than Orophin, but baby Rumil had been a complete surprise arriving two millennia later. Haldir stopped in his tracks as a question formed in his mind.

_What _was_ Rumil doing out there with Eruanna? _

He'd only returned from the borders this very morning and could not have had time to do more than bathe and change clothes in order to arrive at the falls before Haldir. The Marchwarden thought on this question for some time. He did not believe in chance, and doubted his brother had found himself accidentally in Eruanna's company, but that line of thinking only brought up another question.

_Why would Rumil seek out an elleth that he'd only spoken with for a moment?_

As far as Haldir observed, all Rumil did was help her with her bag, but perhaps there was something else that passed between them, something Haldir had missed. It was then that Haldir was struck with the possibility that he might have hurt not only Eruanna, but his brother as well. Training field exercises aside, Rumil had never raised a hand against his older brother in the two thousand years he'd been alive, never, that is, until today. Rumil had not hesitated to pull him back and it was with a bit of surprise that Haldir realized how strong his little brother had become. The younger ellon broke his grip on Eruanna and flung him across the glade with seeming little effort.

_My little brother, you've held back on me these many years, haven't you? Did you think I would be angry if you beat me in a contest of strength?_

After separating Haldir from the elleth, Rumil had completely forgotten him. The idea was totally foreign to Haldir, having been the center of his youngest brother's attention for much of Rumil's life. Now Rumil's attention was rapt on Eruanna even as Marilla shook her finger angrily at him. He'd offered to find Lord Erestor and then was off, without so much as an angry glace at Haldir.

_He ran, forgetting me completely…he looked upon her and he forgot me. _

Instead of jealousy, the feeling that surfaced in Haldir's mind was dread. He might feel guilt and shame over his behavior towards Eruanna, but the knowledge that he might have hurt his brother was almost too terrible to bear.

_Forgive me brother. _

Walking, he suddenly felt the light touch of the Lady in his mind, feelings of anger mixed with sadness. Haldir knew that nothing happened in this land without Lady Galadriel's knowledge. Surely she knew already about his brother and the peredhel and what he himself had done. It seemed like days since he'd spoken with the Lady about Eruanna.

_Was it only an hour ago?_

Haldir stopped in his tracks, a sick feeling twisting his stomach into knots.

_She knew_.

The Lady met him there on that tree path to try and turn him from this course, but he had been deaf to her words. Haldir closed his eyes. He was not the type of ellon to run and hide in fear, but he knew the Lady's anger would be terrible, especially given the warning he'd received.

Haldir knew from long experience it was always best to admit a wrongdoing and receive a reprimand rather than hide like a fearful elfling. His mind made up, he walked purposefully through the woods in the direction of the Royal talan.

The Lady awaited him.


	22. Punishment

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 22** – **Punishment**

**Third Age 2700**

Haldir arrived at the royal talan, but was not immediately permitted an audience. The guards on duty found it difficult to keep their curiosity from showing when asking him to wait in the adjoining hall. Never before had the Marchwarden been left waiting by the Lord and Lady and it made the young wardens decidedly uncomfortable.

Haldir moved to the large windows lining the hallway to the council chambers. He gripped the elegantly carved railing and took a deep calming breath, willing the peace of the city to flow through him.

It didn't quite work.

Haldir hoped he would not be kept waiting long. It was not that he was very eager to face the Lady of the Golden Wood, but for his part, the longer he stood waiting here the longer his nerves had to gnaw on him. His restless thoughts were already running him in circles and waiting here counting the myriad of ways he would regret his past actions did little to calm them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Haldir spied Lady Arwen's approach. It was not difficult to pick the dark haired Lady out among her pale counterparts. Even Haldir, Marchwarden of Lórien, was not immune to the light of the Evenstar. Like her mother before her, she was a vision not easily ignored, but as the Lady drew closer Haldir's thoughts shifted to Galadriel, for he saw in Arwen's face and form the likeness of her grandmother, great and terrible in her fury. The Lady walked with a purpose ever nearer to her grandparents' house and upon arrival was immediately granted entry. She disappeared from his sight momentarily only to reappear in the hall where he stood, waiting. Arwen passed him by with only a cold glance, an omen of what lie waiting for him beyond those closed doors. The guards opened the door for Arwen and she disappeared into the council chamber.

Arwen did not stay long in the chamber and after giving what Haldir assumed to be an account of the past few hours' events she reappeared in the doorway. The Lady looked Haldir straight in the eye as if searching for something. He wished he knew what she looked for or what to say or think so that she might look upon him kindly as she'd always done. She turned away then without a word and departed as swiftly as she'd come. Haldir followed her as far as his eyes could see as she made her way along the tree paths in the direction of the guest telain.

Haldir hoped that with the Lady's departure he would be called upon soon, but it was not so. Minutes later Rumil appeared in the hall, his face bandaged by the healers. Haldir wanted to go to him, speak to him, but upon meeting his brother's icy blue eyes he halted in his tracks. Rumil brushed past him and was ushered into council chamber. A long hour later, his brother emerged…his expression despondent, his shoulders slumped in exhaustion. The last time Haldir had seen his brother so troubled had been the day their father died. Rumil did not even glance his brother's way before turning back toward the talan they and Orophin shared.

Before Haldir had the chance to do or say anything to Rumil's retreating form, a guard appeared from the council room and came to Haldir's side. The warden bowed respectfully, his hand laid over his heart. "Lord Haldir, Lord Celeborn will see you now."

_Lord Celeborn?_

Haldir nodded in silent acknowledgement and followed the young guardian down the hall to the council chamber. As Marchwarden of Lórien, it was Haldir's duty to meet with Lord Celeborn regularly to discuss the realm's defenses. He'd spent countless hours and days in this very room, but for the first time he felt fear grip him as he reached the ornately decorated door. Haldir took a deep breath and knocked loudly.

"Come." A voice called from inside the room.

Haldir entered the lamp lit room and shut the door behind him. His eyes scanned the room for his Lord and Haldir spotted him standing on the terrace that overlooked the city. Lady Galadriel was nowhere in sight.

Celeborn turned slightly toward the new arrival and watched his Marchwarden as his eyes moved nervously about the room as if in search of something _or someone_. "The Lady is too angry to see you right now," he answered Haldir's unspoken question. Celeborn met Haldir's eyes for the first time; he'd known it was the Lady for whom his Marchwarden searched.

Where relief might have been the expected response to his Lord's decree, it was not so. Haldir's heart froze with the knowledge that the Lady Galadriel could not look upon him, even to hand down judgment.

Celeborn saw the uncertain expression that graced Haldir's normally unreadable face. He walked to the younger ellon and facing him, laid a firm hand on his shoulder. "Believe me, Haldir, you do not wish to face her now. When she is ready to speak with you, you will know."

Haldir nodded in silent acceptance of his Lord's words.

Celeborn's gaze returned to the now darkening sky. There was much to say and Celeborn did not think this the proper place for this particular conversation. The Lord of Lórien returned to the large portico; it connected to a path which wound its way above the city proper.

Celeborn turned his head slightly in Haldir's direction, calling over his shoulder. "Shall we walk?"

The Lord exited the room and seconds later a slightly surprised Haldir caught up to his Lord's side. The ellyn walked together in silence for some time before Celeborn next spoke. "Before your father died, he asked that I take you and your brothers into my house. I did so, but not just out of love for my closest childhood friend."

Celeborn let his eyes fall on the younger ellon at his side, an ellon who had grow tall and strong in the service of the realm. The Lord of Lórien loved his sweet daughter more than he thought possible and had been devastated by the suffering she'd endured, but he'd always felt a small amount of disappointment at never having begotten a son. "Ilúvatar blessed your father with three strong and noble sons and I envied him that."

Reaching a quiet and secluded area of the upper tree paths, Celeborn seated himself on one of the elegantly carved benches. He gestured for Haldir to take a seat across from him. When the younger ellon had made himself as comfortable as his nervousness would allow, Celeborn began. "Because I regard you as a son whom I both love and respect- I am withholding my anger." He paused, watching the younger ellon carefully. "I want you to explain your actions, Haldir. This is not the behavior of an ellon such as you."

Haldir looked down at his hands. He'd been rehearsing what he would say to the Lady for hours but everything flew out of his head at his Lord's query. Haldir might respect and fear the great Lady of Light, but Haldir loved Celeborn like a father. "I don't know that I have the words to explain, my Lord." Haldir exhaled deeply. All he could do was tell his Lord the truth, what he saw and felt in that clearing beside the falls and before that, from the time he first met her on the borders. He began to speak, relating every thought and feeling that had crossed his mind regarding Eruanna.

"…and then my brother pulled me back. The Lady fell to the forest floor. That was when Marilla, Lady Galadriel's handmaiden returned. My brother ran to find Lord Erestor and I…I came here."

Celeborn listened quietly while Haldir related the events of the past few weeks. His Marchwarden had been busy…surveillance was a stressful job. He'd indeed been keeping an eye on the young peredhel as his wife had suspected. Celeborn felt a tinge of guilt at the young one's confession. He'd encouraged Haldir's mistrust of others, wittingly or unwittingly, by his praise of the Marchwarden's 'shoot first ask questions later' approach to defense. Celeborn had never intended for the younger ellon to become so distrusting of others and he felt partly to blame for the Marchwarden's actions.

After Haldir had fallen silent for a time and Celeborn had thought long on his words, he began his interrogation. "Did you truly think this child a danger to the realm?" Celeborn studied Haldir's reaction to that question carefully. The Lord had spent several evening meals in the company of the young peredhel and found it difficult to believe anyone who'd spent more than an hour with her would find her threatening. The child was shy, certainly, and young, but her laughter and her smiles were contagious. It was easy to see why Arwen, and even Elrond's austere councilor, had taken her into their hearts.

Haldir thought seriously on his Lord's question. The answer was '_yes'_, obviously, but the longer he sat in Celeborn's presence with those ancient grey eyes upon him, the more difficult he found articulating that very simple word. Finally, he found an answer and one not as pathetic as a simple '_yes_'. "She was a danger…she broke Rumil's nose. She struck him." Haldir knew full well his Lord could not argue with that, having seen Rumil's bandaged face not an hour ago.

Celeborn shook his head, his expression grave. "Any elf trained in hand fighting could have succeeded in bloodying Rumil. The ability to cause harm does not make one inherently dangerous. I would say that you, Haldir, have been more of a danger to the safety of Lórien these past few weeks than Eruanna."

Shock found its way into Haldir's expression at these words and he could not keep the pain they evoked from reaching his normally unreadable eyes.

Celeborn felt the pain and confusion emanating from his warden at that last proclamation and endeavored to explain its meaning further. "Yes, Haldir, she struck him…but you did not see what came before. You did not know _why_ she struck him." The Lord paused, watching his warden closely for some sign of understanding. "We are not on the borders Haldir and this is not a battlefield. You attacked a child, an elleth, without thought or question."

Haldir's gaze fell to the ground. He'd spent the greater part of the last few hours thinking on these things. His only response was the one that had echoed inside his head each time he tried to reason out what had happened before his arrival on the scene. "Rumil would never give an elleth reason to attack him."

The Lord of Lórien breathed a tired sigh. He knew Haldir was not trying to defend himself with the words he'd last spoken. It was merely a statement of fact as far as the Marchwarden was concerned; one that Celeborn was inclined to agree with. "Of course he would not, not intentionally at least, but sometimes our intentions can be…misinterpreted."

Celeborn had stood beside his wife as the two listened to Rumil's description of his encounter with Eruanna. And before that, Arwen told them Eruanna's account of what occurred.

When Arwen first arrived in Lórien, she shared with Galadriel an abbreviated tale of the child's early years. It was Galadriel who had informed Celeborn. Why his wife had chosen to speak with him of this private matter, he did not fully understand at the time but it did not matter. Celeborn had long ago ceased questioning his Lady's purposes. If Galadriel knew that he'd be in need of such knowledge in order to reprimand his Marchwarden weeks later, she had not spoken of it.

"I spoke with Arwen and Rumil. They told me what happened beside the falls. Rumil frightened her, Haldir." Celeborn watched as that information warred with what the Marchwarden believed he knew of his brother.

Haldir shook his head in disbelief. "Rumil is the least frightening ellon I know."

Celeborn smiled kindly on his companion for the first time. "To you, perhaps," Celeborn tried to make his meaning clear. "But Eruanna does not know Rumil as you and I do. Your brother scared her, Haldir. You scared her, and you hurt her." Celeborn watched his words sink in and waited for some sign of understanding.

Haldir could not bring himself to meet those cool grey eyes that seemed to bore into his very soul. They were as ancient as the Lady's but gentler somehow, for they did not contain the piercing light of the Valar. Haldir released a long, slow breath. "Did Rumil tell you what happened…before I arrived?" Haldir feared the answer to his question. He was finding it difficult to reconcile his unwavering trust in his brother's innocence and his growing surety that the elleth had not been an unprovoked aggressor in this incident.

Celeborn did his best to relate a concise version of the events as he'd been told them. "Rumil told me he asked the elleth to walk with him by the falls. She refused the offer and seemed to grow ill before his eyes. He was concerned for her welfare and offered to take her to the healers. When he reached out his hand to her, she struck him. That is when you appeared."

Haldir listened to his Lord's explanation but there was much that he felt was missing. "I don't understand. He was only trying to help her, why would she strike him?"

Celeborn's expression darkened at this last query. It was not really his place to share the personal history of one elf with another but in this case he did not think Haldir would accept anything other than a full explanation. He also knew that his Marchwarden would not repeat what was told to him in confidence by his Lord. Celeborn fixed his Marchwarden with a leveling gaze. "What I tell you now you are not to repeat to anyone, Haldir, not even your brothers. I tell you this as the Marchwarden of Lórien and I expect as in all things regarding duty you will hold it in confidence."

Haldir had no difficulty recognizing the shift in the present conversation. Lord Celeborn had long been a friend and father figure to him and to have such a personal relationship required that things spoken during informal encounter were not addressed in formal dealings and visa versa. They were no longer Haldir and Celeborn but Marchwarden and Lord. Haldir nodded his acknowledgement. "Yes, my Lord."

Celeborn once more gave his Marchwarden a short but concise recitation of events. He told Haldir of Eruanna's birth and her early childhood in Mirkwood. He told Haldir of the wardens that tormented and abused the elfling and of her coming to Imladris. When Celeborn was finished with his tale, he sat in a long silence, watching Haldir's quite visible reaction.

If it were not Celeborn telling him these things Haldir would not have readily believed them. One look into his Lord's eyes told him the truth of the matter and the details certainly explained much about the young elleth's strange behavior. Haldir could not remember when he'd last been so terribly wrong about his impression of another being. He'd been suspicious of the peredhel since she first entered his woods, the sound of her footfalls, the way she would not meet his eyes…and now it was all made clear.

In that moment the characteristic for which the Marchwarden should rightfully be renowned, sprang to the fore. He never thought of himself…it was not his way. He thought always of the Golden Wood, of the Lord and Lady, his people, his brothers, _Rumil_…

"What about Rumil?" he whispered. "I know my brother. He will blame himself for what happened. Should he not be told?"

Celeborn shook his head. "It is for Eruanna to tell him…if she wishes to do so. I tell you only so you realize the harm your actions may have caused an innocent."

"Yes, my Lord." Haldir nodded, fighting once more to meet his Lord's eyes.

Celeborn stood and squared his shoulders, addressing the Marchwarden in an official tone. It was time to dole out punishment. "The Lady and I will be watching you closely this next year, Haldir. You will be stripped of your rank and title for any infraction. Is that clear?"

Haldir's voice caught in his throat. He knew he deserved this punishment, in truth, he felt he'd gotten off light considering the circumstances, but it was still difficult to swallow. "Yes, my Lord." He bowed, respectfully.

Celeborn nodded to the Marchwarden. He knew Haldir would take his punishment without complaint. He also knew that the warden would give them no reason to carry out said punishment. Haldir was an honorable ellon and would do his best to make things right. Celeborn also knew that Haldir's guilt would be more than payment enough for what he'd done.

Celeborn's eyes were caught by the twinkling lights of the city. He addressed Haldir one last time before departing. "If I were you, Haldir, I would return home and think on how to make things right with your brother and Eruanna. I think they will both require apologies."


	23. Apologies, Part 1

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 23- Apologies, Part 1**

**Third Age 2700**

Arwen reached the top of the stair and lifted her hand to knock on the closed door. Before her hand could make contact a small movement in the shadows caught her eye. Erestor stood alone on the far side of the terrace, staring absently into the darkness. Concerned, Arwen moved quietly to his side, but the counselor made no effort to acknowledge her. Arwen looked upon the silent figure with growing unease for she knew that even under the direst of circumstances; Lord Erestor never allowed his manners to falter.

Arwen lifted a delicate hand and placed it on her companion's arm. "Erestor," she whispered in a gentle attempt to break the counselor from his reverie. 'What troubles you?"

Erestor laid a hand atop the Lady's in silent acknowledgement and breathed a tired sigh before he spoke. "This is my fault. I told Rumil where he could find her. I was not thinking."

Arwen listened quietly to his words. She'd seen this coming, seen it in his eyes when she first saw Erestor guiding Eruanna home; he would blame himself. Arwen rested her head against the counselor's arm, contemplating how best to ease his mind. "Erestor, you cannot blame yourself …," she began slowly, "something like this was bound to happen sooner or later."

Arwen did not possess her father's gift of foresight, but as her grandfather said often, some things needed no magic to predict. Eruanna had grown strong under the protection and tutelage of the Lords of Imladris, but there were inner battles yet to be fought, obstacles that Eruanna needed to overcome on her own.

Erestor looked down into the Lady's face, curious of her words.

Arwen saw uncertainty in the old ellon's eyes, a sight she'd never before beheld. She did her best to explain. "Eruanna has changed much since she first came to us, and though we like to imagine that all the pain and fear she once felt is gone, some of it lives yet within her." Arwen sighed. How she wished she could have protected Eruanna from this moment but she knew it impossible. Eruanna had lived a life of security these many years in Imladris, she was a child in Elrond's house, but here…. "In Imladris, she is surrounded by ellyn who look on her as the child who came to us from Mirkwood. The only ellon who did not treat her as a child was Feredir. She did not know what to do when Rumil tried to charm her. "

Erestor harkened to Lady Arwen's wisdom. It amused the counselor that where his heart was concerned, his reason never ceased to fail him. Eruanna got on well with all of the ellyn at home, and it was a long time since she'd reacted violently to another's touch. Erestor thoughts drifted back to their arrival in the Golden Wood. He'd seen them together, Rumil and Eruanna. He should have seen disaster coming, but he didn't. "I saw young Rumil speaking with Eruanna when we first arrived at the borders. She seemed to like him."

"She does like him," Arwen whispered. The Lady had not seen the pair together but she was not blind to the pained state in which Eruanna returned to the talan. There was such a burden of guilt in those deep brown eyes. Arwen's mind drifted back to their arrival. Arwen did not see Eruanna and Rumil together that day, but she remembered full well her conversation with her brothers before they took their leave.

* * *

"_I think our littlest sister has an admirer." Elladan's smile held great amusement as he moved to aid Arwen with her horse. _

_A similarly mischievous expression graced Elrohir's face. "He was not the only one doing the admiring. Eruanna could not take her eyes off him, even after he disappeared into the wood."_

_Arwen, tending to her horse, only half-listened to her siblings' commentary. She was accustomed to the cryptic conversations they held for only one another's understanding and had learned to ignore them when they tried her patience. "What are you two on about?" _

"_Rumil helped Eruanna with her bag." Elladan answered, as if this statement explained everything._

"_And you think that means they are soul mates." Arwen rolled her eyes dismissively. Her brothers were forever spinning tall tales, but this one was incredible even for them. _

"_This could be a very interesting visit," Elrohir mused. "Pity we will miss it." _

_Elladan nodded to his twin in agreement. _

_Elrohir's words struck Arwen hard. She spun on her heels and turned full attention on her brothers, "You are not staying?" It was more of an accusation than a question. Weeks earlier her brothers had agreed to dwell with her for a time in the Golden Wood. This was the first Arwen heard of their change of plans. _

_Elladan shook his head, his expression darkening. He glanced briefly in his brother's direction before answering. "We ride north on an errand for adar. He informed us the morning of our departure."_

"_Why did you not tell me earlier?" Arwen's hopes of spending more time with her brothers shattered. There was nothing she could do. If adar gave them an errand, they would not rest until they saw it done. Fear awoke from its brief slumber and threatened to claim Arwen's heart as is did at each parting. That fear made its way into her eyes._

_Elladan saw the effect his words had on his sister's mood and pulled her into his arms. Arwen caught Elrohir's hand and drew the other twin into the embrace. The three children of Elrond held each other tightly. It was an all too brief gesture of comfort but filled with more love than mere words could pronounce. Before pulling away, Elrohir whispered promises to his sister that all would be well and he and Elladan would return to the Wood as soon as they were able. _

_Arwen took comfort from her brother's words. The younger twin had never uttered an oath he was not willing or prepared to keep. She pulled away then, wiping the tears from her eyes so none would see her loss of control. Arwen looked upon her brothers…they were so much alike in face and form…and yet, unique each in their own way. "Take care of each other," Arwen bid them, and she knew they would. Arwen never was able to say 'goodbye' to her siblings when they parted. _

"_We will."_

* * *

"What did the Lord and Lady say?" The counselor's question drew Arwen back to the present moment. 

Arwen was not quite certain how to respond as she had done most of the talking, though it was clear to Arwen that she merely told the Lord and Lady what they already knew. "I believe my grandmother already knew something of what transpired."

"The mirror?" Erestor did not put faith in magic, but he'd seen first hand the healing power of Vilya and knew something of the secrets that gave the Lady her power.

"Perhaps." Arwen did not know by what means her grandparents came to know of the encounter by the lake, but they were certainly not surprised to see her at their door. "They called for Rumil to give testimony. Haldir was there as well, but they had not yet spoken with him."

"What had the Marchwarden to say for himself?" Erestor's words were harsh and Arwen trembled at their intensity.

The young Lady of Imladris looked nervously upon her father's friend. Something dangerous lurked behind Lord Erestor's eyes, something Arwen had never before seen. As a child, Arwen had always been careful not to anger her tutor, for he could be quite intimidating if a dark mood took him. Her brothers were not so thoughtful and often incurred Erestor's wrath. Glorfindel would jest that the counselor was merely 'playing mad' and that she had never truly beheld Lord Erestor in a rage. Arwen always believed Glorfindel told her thus to ease her childhood fears, but now, Arwen wondered if Glorfindel had indeed spoken true.

Arwen was disappointed by Haldir's behavior but Erestor had moved far beyond mere displeasure.

The Lady answered his question carefully, not wishing to upset him further. "I saw him, but we did not speak. He seemed somewhat subdued. I would say he was fearful of my grandmother's wrath."

"He is not a complete fool after all," Erestor muttered, before turning back to the darkening sky.

Sensing their discussion had come to an end, Arwen took her leave. "I'll go check on Eruanna." She placed a kiss on Erestor's cheek, abandoning him to his thoughts.

Arwen knocked gently on Eruanna's bedroom door. "May I come in?"

The now familiar voice of Galadriel's handmaiden called from the other side of the door. "Come in."

Arwen entered the bedchamber to the sight of Eruanna lying prone on her bed, the back of her dress unlaced revealing a now darkening bruise. Marilla sat on the edge of the bed applying a healing salve to her friend's back.

"Ouch!" Eruanna cried when her companion touched a particularly sore area.

"Sorry," a pained expression appeared on Marilla's normally cheery face. She was trying to be gentle and found it ironic that the salve intended to decrease pain, hurt in its application. Marilla lifted her eyes, and seeing the Lady at the door, bowed her head, "My Lady."

Arwen moved to the other side of the bed so she could take a closer look at Eruanna's injury. "What did this?"

While the question was directed at Eruanna it was Marilla who answered. "The Marchwarden slammed her against a tree."

Arwen's eyes widened in surprise; it was the first she'd heard this tale. "You did not tell me that." She looked down upon Eruanna who closed her eyes against the Lady's questioning gaze.

"It is nothing," Eruanna replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It is not 'nothing'," Arwen stated firmly. "Why did you not tell me he injured you?"

"It was my fault," Eruanna tried to explain. If she had not lashed out at Rumil, none of this would have happened. It was her fault and no one else's.

"How is this," she gestured to her back, "your fault?" Arwen's voice held much skepticism.

Eruanna exhaled slowly, "I hit Rumil. I should not have done that."

Arwen's faced softened and she placed a hand on Eruanna's head. "Even so," she said gently, "Haldir had not the right to do this. He will be punished."

Arwen's words were intended to comfort Eruanna, but they only served to upset her further. Eruanna did not wish to be the cause of trouble for the Marchwarden. "But if I had not struck Rumil…"

Arwen cut her off before Eruanna could again claim responsibility for Haldir's behavior. "This is not about you and Rumil, Eruanna, it is about Haldir. As a Lord of this realm his behavior reflects on all of Lothlórien. My grandparents will be furious." Arwen thought back to the anger she'd seen in her grandmother's eyes. It seemed somewhat extreme at the time, but now…. Her grandmother knew about the incident at the lake before she'd arrived. Perhaps she knew of this as well.

A question sprang to the fore of Arwen's thoughts and she voiced it urgently. "Did Lord Erestor see this?" She addressed Marilla this time, hoping she would be more forthcoming with details than Eruanna.

Marilla nodded slowly. Her voice dropped to a whisper for fear the Lord might overhear. "He was quite angry when he saw the injury." She shuddered slightly at the memory of Lord Erestor's reaction. Marilla had always seen Lord Erestor as an icon of stern decorum and prior to this evening, she was not at all certain that the Lord was capable of anger or passion. Marilla was proved wrong on both accounts. "I never thought I'd say this but…I believe if Lord Haldir knows what is good for him, he will steer clear of your father's high counselor."

These words were spoken with none of the humor Arwen had come to expect from the handmaiden, and after seeing Erestor on the terrace, Arwen was forced to agree with Marilla's assessment.

Marilla finished tending to her friend's injury and gently closed the back of her dressing gown. "Would you like some tea, my Ladies?" Marilla made to rise but was halted by the Lady.

Arwen raised a hand, bidding Marilla to remain seated. She gestured toward Eruanna. The elleth breathed unevenly, tears rolling down her cheeks. Arwen gave Eruanna's shoulder a gentle squeeze before she stood. "I shall make it, Marilla, stay with her."

Arwen slipped out quietly to prepare tea, leaving Eruanna in Marilla's care.

Marilla looked down at her friend to see her teary eyed. The sight of her friend in tears upset her greatly. "Don't cry, Eruanna." It was not much in the way of comfort but only rarely had Marilla witnessed an elleth cry. She picked up the hairbrush resting on the end table and made herself busy brushing out her friend's hair.

Eruanna took a deep breath in an attempt to gain control over her emotions. She was grateful for Marilla's calm presence. "I can't help it. I feel so stupid." She wiped her tears away angrily.

"Well, there was certainly nothing stupid about that palm strike. How did you learn to do that?" Marilla was curious as to how her gentle companion was able to land a blow on a Lórien guard for the guardians of the Golden Wood were known far and wide for their skill and cunning in battle.

"Lord Glorfindel taught me," she replied, moving awkwardly to a seated position so she could better see her friend.

Marilla's eyes widened and a familiar gleeful expression returned to her face. "You mean _the_ Glorfindel?"

Eruanna forced herself not to roll her eyes at her companion. Every time Eruanna spoke to her of the ellyn she knew in Imladris, Marilla acted as if she were speaking of the Valar, themselves. "Yes, the Glorfindel."

Marilla fell back against the pillows, a dreamy look in her eyes. "You have all the fun."

A rather unladylike snort issued from Eruanna. "I would not exactly describe training with Lord Glorfindel as fun." Eruanna was grateful for all that she had learned under the Seneschal's tutelage, but there were times when her backside would rather have been set in a cushioned library chair than dumped onto the hard ground. "He taught me how to protect myself."

"Well he did a fine job, wouldn't you say? I mean, I doubt many ellith could have landed a blow on a warden now over a millennium in the field." Marilla almost immediately regretted her words as she watched Eruanna's expression darken once more.

"It was a mistake. He wanted me to walk with him. He just got too close and I…he only wished to speak with me." Eruanna shook her head, tears threatening to fall anon.

Marilla was present when Eruanna recited the tale of her encounter for Arwen as well as a more detailed version of Haldir's actions later on, but there was still one thing that she'd missed in the telling. Why was Rumil at the lake? Why was he looking for Eruanna? The answer came to her in a flash of conversation she'd had with Eruanna weeks earlier.

"_Ohhhhh, there is someone, do tell."_

"_It's not…I don't really know him."_

"_You don't __have__ to know him!"_

Marilla's mouth opened slightly in shock. How could she have been so blind! "It's him… it's Rumil! The one you were all dreamy about."

Eruanna laid her head on her knees, covering her head with her arms. She did not answer Marilla, but nor was there any need. The handmaiden had come to read her young friend's body language quite well.

Marilla wrapped her arms around Eruanna, offering her what comfort she could. "I'm sorry I left you alone," she whispered. "If I'd just stayed, none of this would have happened."

Eruanna lifted her head so she could face her friend. She did not want Marilla feeling guilty for her own stupidity. "It's not your fault. I'm just…I'm just all wrong inside."

Marilla started to object to her friend's harsh self-criticism but her reply was put on hold by Arwen and their tea.

* * *

Rumil hurried along the tree paths toward Eruanna's talan. He ascended the last few stairs hesitantly, his courage wavering suddenly. He moved carefully toward the front door and lifted a hand to knock but his hand would not seem to move to make contact. Realizing he was holding his breath he released it in a long exhale, lowering his hand as he did. 

"Are you going to knock?" Erestor, watching Rumil's nervous movements from the shadows, decided at last to make his presence known.

Rumil, unaware he was being watched nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the Lord's voice. He silently berated himself for being so careless. A warden of the Golden Wood should not be so easily spooked.

"Lord Erestor." Rumil bowed at the shadowed figure, not needing to see his face to identify him.

"Warden," Erestor nodded in acknowledgement.

Erestor's response was noncommittal and did little to ease Rumil's nerves. He glanced at the door before turning back in the direction of the counselor; Rumil could see Ithil's rays reflecting in his eyes. The intensity of the Lord's gaze discomfited Rumil. He was trapped between a door he feared to pass and an ellon he was equally reluctant to face.

"I came to see if Eruanna was alright." Rumil nearly slapped himself at the absurdity of his words. Obviously he came to see Eruanna. Why was it he always made a fool of himself when he became nervous?

"She has been better," Erestor's replied. The counselor studied the young ellon carefully. He had a perfect view of the warden, whose face and form were lit by Ithil. Rumil's nose was bandaged, indicating he'd seen the healer. "I see you made it to the healer's."

Rumil lifted a hand to his face. The throbbing pain had subsided but it was yet uncomfortable to the touch. He lowered his hand swiftly, not wishing to make a great deal of the matter. "It is nothing. I have had much worse."

Erestor smiled inwardly. He'd seen the ellon's face clearly earlier in the day and had taken note of the great accuracy of Eruanna's blow. _Glorfindel would be proud_, Erestor mused. It was unfortunate that Eruanna's first true testament to her skill should have come under such circumstances. He remembered another time, a time when Eruanna was not so skilled and he found anger rising within him again. Realizing he'd forgotten his young companion, Erestor returned his attention to the young warden.

"I did not mean to frighten her, Lord," Rumil wished to reassure the Lord of his honorable intentions. He'd not been this nervous earlier this morning when he'd asked the Lord for Eruanna's whereabouts. Only now, after seeing them together, did he understand the nature of their relationship and he felt the counselor deserved an explanation. "I merely…I had a question to ask her…I merely wished to talk." Rumil stumbled over the confession, stopping himself before he made a greater fool of himself.

"I know," the Lord replied.

Rumil looked up in surprise. He'd been expecting an interrogation. Surely Lady Eruanna had not come to his defense. As if he'd been listening to Rumil's secret thoughts, Erestor told him just that.

"Eruanna told me you asked to walk with her." Erestor could feel the tension pouring off the younger ellon and wished him to know that, angry though he was; he knew Rumil was not to blame. Even Erestor, with all his many ages of wisdom had not understood Eruanna's strange behavior when he first began working with her. He could not expect this young warden to see in a moment what took the ancient ellon years to decipher.

Sensing that perhaps Lord Erestor might offer him assistance, Rumil dredged up all of the courage he possessed and asked the question that had prevented him from knocking on the door. "Do you think it wise if I tried to see her again?"

Erestor's eyes widened with surprise. It was not a question he thought the warden would ask. "Why do you ask _me_?"

Rumil shifted his weight from one leg to the other, unable to meet the old one's eyes without releasing this nervous energy. "Forgive me, my Lord, but…the two of you appear to be quite close." He left it at that, hoping the counselor would not find him too presumptuous.

_The young one can be observant, _Erestor mused. "She is as dear to me as a daughter." He'd not intended the comment to be taken as a threat but Rumil's shoulders stiffened at his words.

Rumil nodded, "That much was clear to me when you came to her aid." The warden took a deep breath before going forward with his original query. "I want to be sure…that is, if you think she would not wish to see me, I will send my apology through you so as not to cause any further harm."

Erestor felt his anger at Haldir turn to pity for his younger brother. Poor Rumil was not to blame for what happened. Erestor had spent the greater part of his life learning to read people's intentions. It was quite useful in council rooms. He knew he'd read this ellon correctly. The young warden's intentions were noble and what's more, Erestor knew how terrible Eruanna felt for injuring him. Erestor would see that the two young edhil made their peace with each other. "Eruanna feels quite terrible for injuring you," he told the warden quietly. He glided silently to the warden's side and reached for the door handle. "Wait here. I'll ask if she is willing to speak with you."

Eruanna sat with Arwen and Marilla. Both ladies attempted to raise her spirits. Their light conversation was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door; a voice called from the other side. "May I come in?"

"Yes," Eruanna called.

Erestor entered the room to find Lady Arwen and Marilla attending Eruanna. The two ladies seemed hard at work, attempting to lighten Eruanna's mood. Erestor only hoped his announcement would not undermine what the ladies had accomplished. "Rumil is here. He's asked to see you."

"He's here?" Eruanna's smile vanished immediately.

"Do you wish me to send him away?" Erestor's voice was soft. He would order the ellon out of the city if she asked him to.

"I don't know." Eruanna wrung her hands nervously. She looked to Erestor, seeking his wisdom. "What should I do?"

Erestor was surprised she asked him and not the Ladies at her side. "I think you will feel better if you speak with him, Eruanna. Waiting will only make it more difficult."

Eruanna nodded, conceding the truthfulness of his words. "Alright. I will speak with him." Her words sounded surer than she felt.

Erestor nodded, "I will escort him to the sitting room. Come out when you're ready." The Lord turned and was gone, leaving Eruanna to Arwen and Marilla's council.

"What do I say to him?" Eruanna whispered to no one. She drew a hand to her face and bit nervously at her fingernails.

Arwen pulled Eruanna's hands away from her lips before she could do too much damage. "Eruanna, look at me." The Lady waited for the elleth to meet her eyes before she next spoke. "You need only say what is in your heart and all will be well."

Eruanna nodded slowly and Marilla offered her a broad, reassuring smile.

"I'll wait here until you get back." Marilla nearly pushed Eruanna off of the bed and out the door. Arwen hurried behind them and taking Eruanna's arm, led her to the sitting room.

When they reached the doorway, Arwen had to quite nearly pull Eruanna through it.

Rumil stood hastily from his seat at the Ladies' arrival. He studied Eruanna carefully; checking her for any sign of injury, and in doing so, nearly forgot his manners. Upon realizing who it was that escorted Eruanna, he bowed awkwardly. "Lady Arwen."

Rising, he saw the Lady offer him a nod of acknowledgement, but Eruanna looked away when he tried to catch her eye.

"I retire now," Arwen announced to all, and turning to Eruanna, gave her arm a brief squeeze. "I shall see you in the morning." With that, Arwen swept out of the talan, sharing a secret look with Erestor before departing.

Erestor could see Eruanna's nervousness clearly from across the room. It was rivaled only by the unease which the warden displayed. Part of him wished to remain and keep a watchful eye on their encounter but the more sensible part of his nature knew it was time he withdrew. "I will be on the terrace should you need me."

Rumil and Eruanna both followed Erestor as he exited the room and upon his departure they were once again alone. Rumil waited patiently for Eruanna to meet his gaze. She looked as apprehensive as he felt. There was only one way to begin and Rumil took a deep breath before beginning.

"I'm sorry." Rumil nearly jumped at his own words, spoken in Eruanna's sweet voice. She'd offered his apology a moment before he'd had the chance.

"No, it is I who must apologize," Rumil countered.

Eruanna shook her head and Rumil thought he saw unshed tears threatening to break free. She spoke again, the strength in her voice at odds with her fragile outward appearance. "Your face. I struck you and for that I owe you an apology."

"It is nothing," Rumil replied. He raised his hand swiftly to his face and in so doing caused himself the slightest flicker of pain.

Eruanna saw the warden flinch when his hand touched his nose and she moved swiftly to his side.

Rumil was surprised by how close the Lady came to him. Her eyes studied his face.

"May I see it?" she asked him.

Her request surprised him but Rumil could hardly refuse her and taking a seat, he removed the edge of the bandaging so she did not have to stand on tip-toe to see his nose. Rumil held his breath while she examined the injury. She stood so close he could smell the lavender soap still clinging to her skin. It was her laughter that brought him out of his reverie.

Eruanna covered her mouth in shock at her thoughtless behavior. She should not be laughing at a moment like this. What would Rumil think of her? She turned wide eyes down upon Rumil's face and saw confusion in his eyes, but no anger.

"Has my face become so very comical?" he asked carefully. The last time he'd been this close to Eruanna, she struck him, and now, she was laughing. To say Rumil was confused would be an understatement of some immensity.

Eruanna straightened swiftly. She did not wish Rumil to believe she laughed at him. "It is not you. I only…" Eruanna sighed. She ran her hands through her hair trying to find the words to explain her odd behavior. "Lord Glorfindel had me practice that blow for years…on practice dummies of course. I asked him how I would know, if ever I had chance to use it, that I'd executed the blow properly since I'd only ever practiced on a wooden mannequin."

Rumil found himself smiling even though the expression was a bit uncomfortable. He'd met Lord Glorfindel only a handful of times during his service as a warden of the Golden Wood. He'd also attended one training session led by the great Balrog Slayer and one training session had been quite enough for Rumil. He'd returned home that day in more pain than he thought was possible without being followed by a journey to Mandos.

"Lord Glorfindel taught you that move?" Rumil asked her, wishing to be sure he'd heard right.

"Yes." Eruanna saw surprise light Rumil's eyes. It seemed most edhil were amazed by her closeness with the Lords of Imladris and Rumil seemed to be no exception. "Lord Elrond asked him to train me as he did Arwen and his sons."

"That explains your precision." Rumil affixed the bandage back in place before returning his attention to Eruanna.

Eruanna blinked in surprise. There was no malice in Rumil's statement. On the contrary, he appeared…impressed. Rumil's features darkened suddenly and Eruanna held her breath.

Rumil looked down at his hands, the confusion he felt over the last several hours finally reaching the surface. "I don't understand what happened." He looked up at Eruanna, hoping to find an explanation in her eyes but all he saw there was an expression that mirrored his own confusion.

Eruanna took a few steps backward and seated herself on the divan across from Rumil. She wrung her hands idly, "It's only…" Eruanna did not know what to say. She wanted to tell him the truth but the story was long, too long, and she was not yet ready to share all of it. She settled on what she hoped would be a believable explanation for her reaction. "The last time I met an ellon alone…he hurt me. I'm afraid that when you came too close I overreacted."

Rumil was speechless. There was a part of him that found such a proclamation difficult to believe, but that feeling was stopped short by the memory of his brother's rage. If Haldir could treat an elleth in such a way there was no telling what a less honorable ellon might do.

Eruanna watched a myriad of thoughts and emotions pass over Rumil's face. They sat together in silence for a time before Eruanna found the courage to speak. "Why did you come here?"

Rumil answered immediately. "I wished to see you, to make sure my brother had not hurt you and I…," he halted suddenly, unsure of whether he wished to finish that last thought.

Eruanna was reassured by his prompt reply. She'd feared he would hate her for her assault on him but when he stopped mid-sentence, she grew nervous. "What?"

Rumil smiled then, the same smile he wore when he first met her by the lake. "I sought you out today because I wished to ask you to attend the midsummer festival with me."

"The festival?" Eruanna yelped in surprise.

"Aye." Rumil smiled sheepishly. He could not help but laugh at the stunned expression on Eruanna's face. "What do you say, my Lady, will you accompany me?"

"Why do you wish to go with _me_?" Eruanna was now very confused. She'd done nothing to attract his attentions prior to today and certainly did not deserve them now.

Rumil shrugged awkwardly. "I…I'm not sure really." He tried to find an answer for her that was both true and still proper to be spoken between strangers. "I suppose I find you…_intriguing_." It was the only word that fit.

_Intriguing,_ Eruanna pondered the many possible meanings of that word. It seemed he'd meant it in only a positive light. "Why would you want to go with me now, after what I did?"

Rumil smiled slyly, and raised a conspiratorial brow. "Any elleth who can perform such a brilliant palm strike is well worth the risk."

"What will everyone say?" Eruanna shook her head. By now at least half of the city would know what she'd done.

Rumil was not one to worry about the idle gossip of the people but he could understand how such might be upsetting to a newcomer in Lórien. "We could tell them we were sparring and I missed a block," Rumil suggested.

"You would lie for me?" Eruanna did not expect such a thing from Rumil and nor would she ask it of him.

"It will not be a lie if we were to be seen at the training fields together," Rumil offered.

"If we…what?" Eruanna was not sure where this was going. Now he wished to spar with her?

Rumil shrugged, "You have shown me today that I am in need of some practice and who better to train with me than the apprentice of the great Balrog Slayer."

"You jest." Eruanna knew not what else to say. The ellon was mad!

"Do I?" Rumil gave her a quizzical look before allowing the humor he felt to reach his eyes. When he realized the Lady was speechless he pressed her again, pouring into this final plea all of the hope he'd felt when he first saw her sitting by the waterfall, haloed by the sun. "_Please_, say you'll accompany me."

Eruanna heard the plea in Rumil's voice, she saw the hope in his eyes and she answed. "I will."


	24. Apologies, part 2

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 24- Apologies, Part 2**

**Third Age 2700**

Rumil floated home. At least, it seemed so as he made it to his front door on a cloud of happiness. The feeling ceased, however, when he caught sight of a shadowed figure lounging on the terrace floor. Haldir sat with his legs dangling over the edge of the talan. He looked rather like an elfling, reprimanded by his father for some wrongdoing. No doubt, the former description was not too far from the truth. Rumil could not help but feel for his older brother. He could only imagine what the Lord and Lady said to him after his departure.

Rumil approached without a word and seated himself at Haldir's side. It had been quite some time since the pair sat together like this – Rumil thought it a pity they did not do so more often. After some time, Rumil broke the silence with a single word, "Haldir."

Haldir turned his head slightly so he could get a better look at his brother. The concern he saw in his younger brother's eyes sent a new wave of guilt crashing over him. _Why is he so forgiving? _

Haldir breathed deep. "Rumil, I never intended…," he paused, and looking again into his brother's worried face, he could not continue. He could not offer Rumil the lame collection of excuses he'd come up with to explain away his actions. His brother deserved the truth and he gave it to him. "I am a fool."

Rumil's lips curled into a triumphant smile. "I've been telling you that for years," he laughed heartily.

His brother's laughter brought a guarded smile to Haldir's lips. "And I have not heeded you." It was true. Haldir was forever dismissing Rumil's criticisms. It had become habit, routine, for the two regularly held opposing opinions on everything from food to patrol assignments. _What other advice have I ignored from you, little brother? _

Rumil pondered his brother a moment. He thought he'd be much angrier at Haldir at their next meeting. He'd certainly been in no mood to speak with him earlier in the day, but as always, he found he could not remain angry at Haldir for long. His brother was a great Marchwarden and his desire to protect his land and his people was paramount. Rumil had known this, always. It was why the people of Lórien loved and praised him. Haldir's mistrust kept their land safe, their families protected. He took the watch so others could sing and dance under the golden mellyrn. How could one remain angry with such an ellon?

Rumil wished for peace to be between them again and so he offered Haldir his understanding. "Your first love has always been Lórien. I know you would give more than your life to protect her. I do not fault you for that."

"Not first…," Haldir corrected.

Haldir watched a strange, disbelieving look cross his brother's face and it gave him pause. _Does he truly believe that Lórien is first?_ Haldir shook his head. "You and Orophin come first, the Golden Wood second." Haldir spoke these words for the first time out loud; he'd never thought voicing them necessary until now.

A silence fell between them where Haldir waited for his words to sink in, and though he knew it unnecessary, he issued his apology. "I'm sorry if my actions today caused you pain."

Rumil waved the apology aside, "I know, brother. Do not worry yourself, all is well between us."

"Indeed," Haldir's eyebrow rose curiously, "you did appear to be in good spirits upon your return home."

A large smile formed on Rumil's face, extending from ear to ear. "Eruanna agreed to attend the festival with me."

Haldir's mouth fell open in surprise. "Is that why you sought her by the lake?" The pieces were finally falling into place.

"Yes," Rumil answered. He could tell Haldir had waited long to find out why he'd been in Eruanna's company.

Haldir nodded, only to find himself a bit confused. When last he'd seen Eruanna and his brother together, the lady had not appeared willing to accompany Rumil anywhere. "Then you spoke with her this eve?" he deduced.

"I just returned from her talan," Rumil confirmed.

Haldir turned his face away and stared guiltily down at his hands. "Was she well?"

Rumil heard the hesitation in his brother's voice and could feel the guilt emanating from his soul. "She seemed to be when I saw her, though…," Rumil hesitated and it was enough to alarm Haldir.

"What?" Haldir's head shot up.

Rumil knew better than to hide the truth from Haldir. The ellon had a knack for smelling a lie, especially when uttered by his own kin. "She walked stiffly, as one would with a back injury."

Haldir shut his eyes tightly. He'd never felt so ashamed in his life. He had to make amends with Eruanna as well, and he doubted it would go as smoothly as this. Haldir looked over his brother again and his bandaged face. He looked quite comical. "And what about your pretty face?" Haldir's voice held a hint of humor. Rumil always said he was the beautiful one in the family.

Rumil snorted at his brother's ribbing. "Never fear, it will heal," Rumil assured him, "and I will remain the fairest brother."

Haldir snorted, "And how was it a Lórien warden was taken unawares by an elleth from Imladris?"

Rumil laughed. He knew _this _question was coming. "Lord Glorfindel trained her."

Haldir rolled his eyes, "Of course." It would be Glorfindel. He should have known the Seneschal would not have let Eruanna travel across the mountains unless he believed her a capable fighter.

Rumil raised a hand gingerly to his face. "You would have been proud, Haldir. Her form was perfect." Rumil regretted his choice of words as soon as they were spoken and he saw Haldir's eyebrow arch.

"I referred to her blow, Haldir," Rumil corrected.

Haldir graced his younger brother with a look of disbelief. "Remind me to inform Glorfindel of your thoughts on her form the next time he comes to visit."

The smile that reached Haldir's eyes caused Rumil to laugh and once the laughter began, it became contagious. The two ellyn chuckled lightly together until their humor was interrupted by a third arrival.

"What are the two of you laughing about?" Orophin's voice called from the doorway of their talan.

The pair turned to see their brother leaning against the doorframe, an inquisitive expression on his face.

"Nothing," Haldir and Rumil replied in unison.

"Nothing, I'm sure…," Orophin halted abruptly as he took in the sight of his younger brother. "Rumil, what happened to you?"

Haldir and Rumil shared a guilty look.

"It's a long story," Rumil replied. "But since Haldir comes off badly in it, I'll tell you over dinner."

* * *

Rumil arrived at Eruanna's door early in the morning on Midsummer's Day. He knocked soundly on the door. It flew open, and a familiar face appeared in the doorway. 

Rumil was surprised to see Marilla at her friend's home so early. "Is Eruanna ready?" he asked hesitantly.

"We'll be ready in a moment," she replied and turned back into the talan without inviting him in.

"We?" Rumil's voice rose in surprise as he followed the elleth inside.

Marilla folded her arms across her chest defensively. "She needs a chaperone doesn't she? Do you think I'd let her near you or your brother after…." Her tirade was cut short by a shout coming from the next room.

"Marilla!" Eruanna yelled on her way through the door. She looked up to see Rumil standing near the door dressed in light blues and greens. She smiled upon seeing him. "Do not listen to her…," Eruanna gave her friend a withering look. "I am certain Marilla's mind has been addled by all her years of bouncing around."

Marilla feigned shock and before Rumil's eyes, the pair descended into laughter.

"Are we ready?" Marilla asked.

"I believe so." Eruanna glanced around the room for anything she may have forgotten. Deeming herself prepared, she turned her attention to Rumil.

"Shall we?" Rumil extended his right arm and this time Eruanna took it without hesitation.

A second arm wrapped itself around Rumil's just as he was about to lead Eruanna away. He looked down to find Marilla clutching his left arm. She smiled coyly, "Just think of me as your _other_ date."

Rumil rolled his eyes at the blond elleth, "Lucky me." He shared an amused look with Eruanna before leading both ladies out into the morning sun.

"So…," Marilla turned smiling eyes on Rumil, "will Orophin be joining us today?"

* * *

Haldir arrived at the festival late in the day. He'd been seeing to his duties; not all of the wardens had the day off. Haldir's keen eyes swept across the field in search of his brothers; he spotted them at a table celebrating merrily with several other wardens. He began walking toward them but his movement was halted by a dark haired ellon blocking his path. 

"Lord Erestor," Haldir nearly jumped in surprise. He'd not even sensed the counselor's approach. Too much time in the city had dulled his instincts, or so he thought, for few elves trod silently enough to come upon him unawares.

"Haldir," the Lord replied in kind.

Haldir waited a moment for the Lord to say something more but as the silence lengthened he grew nervous. Thinking that perhaps the counselor waited for him to speak first, Haldir considered issuing an apology. Lord Erestor appeared quite close with Eruanna and Haldir did not wish to be responsible for a diplomatic incident. "I wish to apologize, Lord, for my behavior…."

"I am not the one who requires an apology." Erestor cut the Marchwarden off abruptly.

The suddenness of the ellon's words startled him but Haldir recovered himself quickly. "No, of course not." Haldir waited then to be dismissed, but Erestor did not release him. Instead, the Lord pondered him for a time before he next spoke.

Erestor could feel the Marchwarden's unease and he considered it well deserved. "I would like to share a story with you, Haldir. It is one that was told to me by a man of the Dunedain."

Haldir made no reply. He could not say 'no' to the Lord, but the counselor's unusual behavior was making Haldir uncomfortable. He merely stood and waited whatever it was Lord Erestor wished to tell him. He watched as Lord Erestor reclined leisurely against a mallorn tree. If any other ellon had taken such an informal posture, Haldir might have been comforted by it, but never did Lord Elrond's high counselor comport himself in such a fashion. It was almost unnatural and what's more, it made the ancient one appear surprisingly threatening. The sound of the Lord's cool voice brought Haldir's mind back into focus.

"Once, many years ago," Erestor began, "upon returning from his travels, a man discovered that his child, a daughter, had been attacked by one of the men from a neighboring tribe. As punishment, the guilty man's life was turned over to the father to do with as he willed…and so, the father bound his child's attacker to a tree deep in the woods for a single night.

The man decreed to his prisoner, _'If Ilúvatar wills it you shall live, and if not, the wolves will see to your demise.'" _Erestor paused, and took a sip of wine from the goblet he carried before continuing."The next morning there was little left of the child's assailant that had not been consumed by the wolves and scavengers of the forest. The men of the north call this justice."

Erestor straitened himself and held the Marchwarden with emotionless eyes. "I love Eruanna, but she is not really my child… and _we_ are not men," he added pointedly. "It could be that you are fortunate on both accounts." Leaving the Marchwarden with that final thought, Erestor disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

"Haldir, where have you been?" Orophin shouted as his brother approached. He patted the empty place next to him. "Come, sit." A chorus of cheers erupted from the other wardens at the arrival of their friend and leader. 

_Have a drink Haldir!_

_Done with work already?_

_You lost, Amdir. I told you he wouldn't miss the banquet._

_Come sit, Haldir!_

Haldir smiled at the assembled company, all of whom appeared to have taken the festival cheer to heart. He waved their invitations aside, "In a moment." His gaze moved to Rumil and the elleth seated at his side. He made his way to where they were seated and dropped to one knee so his words would not be overheard. Eruanna turned her face to meet his. "Lady Eruanna, may I have a word with you…please," he whispered quietly.

Eruanna looked to Rumil who nodded. "Of course," she replied. Eruanna stood and took Haldir's arm. He led her a distance away where he might speak without being overheard but still remain in sight of the table. Eruanna heard some of the wardens calling loudly after them.

_It looks like he's stolen another one._

_That was fast._

_Bad luck, Rumil! I thought she liked you._

Eruanna burst into laughter at their taunts. She looked up to see the Marchwarden shaking his head and though he remained silent, his eyes smiled. It seemed he was accustomed to his wardens' jests.

When they were far enough away from the crowd for Haldir's comfort he released Eruanna's arm. She studied him closely and he found it unnerving. He'd thought she might be intimidated by him after what he had done. Instead, he found her meeting his eyes with curiosity. "My Lady," he began, "I seek your forgiveness for my terrible behavior, though I scarcely deserve your mercy."

Eruanna shook her head slightly and in a voice that seemed wise far beyond her years, she responded. "You believed I was a danger to Lórien, and at the moment you came upon us, you were correct. I lashed out at Rumil without thinking and you, in turn, did the same. We are both guilty of allowing our emotions to control our actions."

Haldir was stunned by the elleth's accurate and surprisingly candid analysis of their actions. He conceded that they were both at fault in their own way for what occurred the other day, but it did not lesson his own feelings of guilt. The elleth had struck Rumil in fear, but a broken nose was nothing compared to what injuries he might have caused her had Rumil not pulled him away. It was not something he cared to think about. "Still, I could have seriously injured you."

Eruanna waved his words away. "There is nothing to forgive, but if you feel need of it, let us both accept each others' apologies and let the matter be forgotten. What say you, Marchwarden?"

"Haldir," he corrected her, "any Lady so wise and fair may call me by my first name."

Eruanna graced Haldir with a broad smile, "Then I am Eruanna," she replied, before taking his arm once more.

"Very well… Eruanna," he patted her arm lightly. "Shall we return to the festivities, I wouldn't want Rumil to think we had truly run off together." The elleth laughed lightly at his words and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. No doubt she remembered the shouts of the wardens when he first drew her away from the crowd.

The pair returned swiftly to their companions and Eruanna returned to her seat at Rumil's side. He leaned towards her and spoke softly in her ear.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her.

Eruanna caught his eye and smiled brightly. "Yes, yes it is."

"You're just in time, Eruanna!" Orophin called from across the table. "I was telling everyone about Rumil's first archery lesson with Haldir." The assembled party burst into a raucous laughter, all of them that is, but Haldir.

"I guess I missed something." Eruanna looked around at the smiling faces.

Orophin wrapped an arm around Haldir, whose expression might have given another ellon pause. "Let's just say, Rumil's aim was not very impressive _but_," he stressed the word oddly and gave his brother's shoulder a tight squeeze, "Haldir's backside was a rather large target."

The crowd once again descended into laughter.

Rumil shook his head at Orophin, though he laughed along with everyone else. It took a few minutes before Haldir, too, admitted the humor of a practice arrow in his backside. Pushing Orophin away, Haldir took a seat at the table beside Eruanna. The company continued to joke at Haldir's expense and he allowed it, objecting only with his standard glare, the one his brothers had learned long ago to ignore.

It was in the midst of his laughter that Haldir felt the light touch of the Lady in his mind. He turned swiftly, and saw her far off across the field in conversation with another. Her eyes locked with his and though her lips remained still, he felt her smile upon him and he knew that all would be well.


	25. The stars tell a story

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 25 – The stars tell a story**

**Third Age 2700**

Rumil and Eruanna strolled arm in arm along the tree paths. The festival reached its official ending hours earlier with the blessings of the Lord and Lady, but many revelers remained long after the greater masses had retired. It was nearing dawn when Rumil noticed Eruanna lifting a hand to her face in an attempt to stifle a yawn. She was tired.

It was a strange concept for Rumil to grasp as elves do not tire easily. It was not that Rumil was ignorant of Eruanna's parentage…gossip traveled quickly in Lothlórien, it was only that he'd not considered the toll the day's events would have on her. He felt a rush of guilt at not having noticed her fatigue. The oversight was easily remedied. He bid his fellow wardens a good night and offered to escort Eruanna back to her talan. With a nearly imperceptible nod from Rumil, Orophin moved into position, distracting Eruanna's bodyguard with some amusing story so the pair could to slip away without Marilla on their heels.

The stars shone brightly upon the pair as they moved silently through the canopy. The rays lit Eruanna's face and reflected in her hair. _She is beautiful in the moonlight_. Rumil thought as he watched the rays reflect in her dark eyes.

Eruanna, oblivious to her companion's appraising eyes, gazed up at the stars visible now and again through openings in the canopy. "Eärendil shines brightly this eve," a statement not needing a response.

Rumil tipped his head upward and through the opening in the mallorn his gaze fell on the ancient beacon of hope. It did appear brighter tonight. "So it does." Eruanna released her hold on Rumil's arm and instead took hold of the railing. A pensive expression appeared on the Lady's face before Rumil's eyes and he wondered what thoughts the stars had awakened.

As if she'd heard the question in Rumil's mind, Eruanna spoke. "Do you think the stars look the same in Valinor?" It was something she'd often wondered. Forever the scholar, Eruanna had taken careful notice of the sky as they traveled to Lórien. The stars looked the same here as they did in Imladris and Mirkwood, as well, if her memory served her.

_The stars? _That was by far the oddest question anyone had ever asked him. Rumil had lived his entire life in Lórien, and it never occurred to him that the stars might look different anywhere else. "I am not sure. I have never seen any other sky."

"Truly?" it was only after the question was out of her mouth that she realized its tone might be considered offensive. It was not her intent, but Eruanna was truly surprised by his confession. Once, long ago, she'd spoken with Arwen of their travels and it was the Lady who informed her that most elves did not often travel far from their homes. Eruanna did not imagine that such would apply to wardens. After all, Haldir had visited Imladris, she was sure and she knew Glorfindel did the same. It unnerved her to realize that she has seen more of Middle Earth than this warden, nearly four times her age.

Eruanna returned her gaze to the glittering sky. She knew there would be no answer to her question until she reached the Undying Lands.

Perhaps…one day….Eruanna took hold of Rumil's arm again and they continued along the path. They walked in silence until a memory rose to the surface of her thoughts, "Every star tells a story."

Rumil heard Eruanna's quiet voice but he did not know quite how to respond. "Pardon?"

Eruanna shook her head. She looked up at Rumil and seeing confusion in his eyes, gave him a reassuring smile. "It is something Erestor once said to me. I asked him why everyone tells stories about the stars. He said that people don't tell stories about the stars, but rather, the stars tell us their stories. I'm still not sure I understand what he meant by that, he can be rather cryptic at times."

Rumil recalled those same words spoken to him, in his youth. Rumil loved songs and stories of old and had memorized many great lays that told stories of the stars. It was one scholarly interest they both shared. Rumil peered up through a break in the canopy and pointed toward a trio of stars. "Do you know the story of those three?" he asked her, hoping that she would not.

Eruanna smiled up at her companion, "I have heard several. They are quite popular."

Rumil's hopes faltered momentarily. "It tells of Oromë," he added.

Eruanna's eyes widened in surprise, it was not every day she could add a new star story to her collection. "I am not familiar with that tale."

"Then I shall tell you," Rumil grinned, glad that he could share a local myth with the well read Lady on his arm. He drew her back onto the path as he began. "Before the Eldar awoke at Cuiviénen, Oromë, Lord of the Forests, came often to Middle Earth. He hunted the dark creatures that roamed the wilds and kept an ever watchful eye out for the coming of the elves."

"It came to pass, that Oromë returned to Middle Earth during a great storm and when he descended, his belt became caught in Varda's sky. In order to free himself he was forced to leave his belt behind. Varda hallowed it and it hangs there still, reminding us of the Vala who did not abandon the Hither Lands to Morgoth's darkness and never ceased searching for the children of Ilúvatar."

Eruanna smiled, "I have never heard that tale. I shall have to add it to my collection." They continued walking but both parties remained distracted by the stars. One among them held Eruanna's attention. She lifted a hand and pointed it out. "That one reminds me of Haldir."

Rumil followed the direction in which she pointed. He did not understand her meaning. "Why that one?"

Eruanna shrugged…she probably should not have spoken that thought aloud. She knew Rumil looked up to his brother and did not wish to offend him. He looked at her curiously and with a defeated sigh, shared her thoughts with her companion. "It stands alone, not letting its neighbors come too close."

Rumil's jaw dropped slightly. His head rose once more in the direction of the star. It was bright, and a great dark expanse surrounded it before the next light was seen. Rumil shook his head. "He's not really like that."

It sounded to Eruanna as if Rumil was trying to convince himself of that fact more than her. "No?"

Rumil stopped mid-step and looked down into the elleth's face. There was no accusation in her eyes, only concern… but for him or for Haldir, Rumil could not say.

_How can I make her understand?_

Rumil did not wish Eruanna to think ill of Haldir. There were events that shape an ellon's life in ways beyond the control of even the Valar. It was not Haldir's fault.

Eruanna's nervousness grew as a deep silence fell between them. She hurt Rumil… again. "I'm sorry; I did not mean to upset you. Erestor tells me I often speak without thinking."

Rumil gave Eruanna's hand a squeeze. "Do not apologize. I know that Haldir can appear… _distant_…to those who do not know him well. It is not his fault." His eyes pleaded with Eruanna to believe his words.

"You need not explain, Rumil," she placed a hand on his arm to reassure him.

Rumil covered her hand with his. "I wish only for you to understand him. Haldir is a good warden, a good brother."

Eruanna could hear the plea in his voice but said nothing, giving him the opportunity to speak further or remain silent. He chose the former.

"It was our adar's death that changed him. He was killed in a raid on the borders. Haldir was with him, fighting at his side." Rumil voice trembled with those words. It was an event which Haldir never discussed. The only reason Rumil knew the details of their father's death was because another warden told Orophin, who, many years later, shared the story with Rumil. Their father stopped a poisoned arrow from hitting Haldir by stepping into its path. In the confusion, Haldir had not seen the attack coming. He never spoke of it, but Rumil could see the blame Haldir cast upon himself for their father's death.

"After adar died, Haldir became relentless, obsessed. He blamed himself for our father's death." Rumil leaned his back against a nearby mallorn and looked down mournfully at his hands. "It changed him. Protecting Lórien and our people became his only reason to go on."

Eruanna understood loss. When her grandparents told her they were sailing she thought her heart would break. This was different. She'd never experienced death...only her mother…but Eruanna never really knew her. The memory of Irimë drew another question to Eruanna's lips. "What of your mother?"

Rumil looked back at Eruanna, his eyes holding a deep sadness. "She sailed west. She wished to be in Valinor when our father returned from Mandos."

Eruanna nodded. It was not uncommon for elves who'd lost a loved one to await them in the west. Eruanna could see the pain in Rumil's eyes and she wondered if he, too, had considered sailing. "You did not sail."

Rumil shook his head. "I could not leave Haldir and Orophin. They were not ready and I suppose…I knew it was not yet my time."

"I do not feel the call of the sea," Eruanna admitted quietly.

Rumil's solemn expression brightened and a smile spread slowly across his face. "I am glad."

"Glad?" Eruanna was not quite sure as to how her sea longing or lack there of should matter to Rumil.

"I am glad that you are here with me and not in Valinor," he explained.

Eruanna could not suppress a smile. "I, too, am glad to be with you."

Rumil and Eruanna walked the rest of the way in silence, each contemplating the words they'd last spoken. It was only when they arrived at the base of the stair that led to Eruanna's talan that Rumil spoke.

Eruanna took the first step to ascend the stair but was halted by a hand on her arm. She turned, and with the added height of the stair stood even with Rumil.

Rumil looked nervously into her questioning eyes. "Will you come to the training fields with me tomorrow afternoon?"

"The training fields?" Eruanna's brow shot up in surprise at his request. She'd thought his suggestion of them being seen at the training fields mere jest. It appeared she'd been mistaken. "I suppose," she responded, "I have been lax in my training since I arrived."

"Will you come then?" Rumil asked, hopefully.

"Yes," Eruanna nodded, "I will come."

Rumil lifted Eruanna's hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her soft skin. "Until tomorrow," he whispered.

Eruanna's heart fluttered at the contact. "Tomorrow."

Erestor's attention was drawn to the stair. He heard Eruanna's approach long before she reached the landing and caught her eye as she looked his way. There was a lightness to the young elleth's step and she appeared happier than he'd seen her in a long time. "Did you enjoy yourself today?"

"Yes, very much so," Eruanna replied while taking the seat at Erestor's side.

Erestor smiled, "I am glad you and Rumil made up."

Eruanna blushed a light pink but in the darkness not even an elf would have noticed. "So am I." She studied Erestor from the corner of her eye. He appeared in far better spirits tonight in contrast to the past several days and Eruanna believed she knew why. "Haldir apologized to me," she watched carefully for any reaction from the old ellon.

"Did he?" Erestor replied in a casual tone.

The act did not work on Eruanna. She saw her mentor speaking with Haldir at the festival and knew he'd had his eyes upon her when Haldir drew her away from the crowd. "He did," she cocked an eyebrow before adding, "whatever did you say to him?"

"Me?" Erestor feigned surprise, "I said nothing."

Eruanna's expression was one of clear doubt. "I saw you speaking with him."

Erestor knew he was caught, but he did not wish Eruanna to believe the Marchwarden only apologized because of him, for it was not so. "He was on his way to apologize to you; I did nothing to persuade him."

Eruanna shook her head. "That is not what I meant." She gave Erestor a meaningful smile.

The counselor sighed, leaning back in his seat to rest his head against the wall. "I might have given him something to ponder while he was feeling guilty."

"What kind of _something_?" she asked, curiously.

"Just an old tale of mortal justice," he waved his hand, indicating the story was nothing special.

Eruanna's jaw fell open slightly. She'd read several thick tomes containing tales of what one might call 'mortal justice'. From what she could recall, most were not particularly forgiving. "Mortal justice," she repeated with an arched brow.

"Involving wolves," Erestor added, making his best attempt at keeping a straight face.

"Oh dear," Eruanna exclaimed, shaking her head disapprovingly. She looked up into her teacher's face and the humor she glimpsed in his eyes brought a smile to her face. "You do have a talent for storytelling," she conceded.

"So I've been told." Erestor's said with a smirk. The expression did not last.

Before Eruanna's eyes, Erestor expression grew serious. "Just be glad Glorfindel was not here or Haldir would have gotten a real history lesson."

Eruanna could do nothing but agree with her companion. "It is good that you prefer words to weapons." Humor rang in Eruanna's words.

"I am certain Haldir would agree with you," Erestor replied tartly.

"You are terrible!" Eruanna exclaimed, barely containing her laughter.

Erestor shook his head, and as he did so, pulled Eruanna into a fatherly embrace. "No, I'm not," he chided.

"So," she smirked, "did it make you feel better?"

"Truthfully?"

Eruanna nodded.

Erestor allowed his mouth to curl into an impish grin, "I did feel quite a bit lighter after our…_talk_."

Eruanna laughed at Erestor's confession, though she had little need to hear it voiced. Erestor's eyes swam with mirth. It was good to see him in good spirits once more.

Eruanna and Erestor sat together for a time, content in each other's company. Eruanna's eyes strayed across the sky, stopping at Oromë's belt. She needed to tell Erestor of Rumil's invitation, but was not sure how her teacher would respond. "Rumil asked me to go to the training fields with him tomorrow."

Erestor smiled at the not so very surprising declaration. It was an interesting move by the warden, inviting her to train with him, one that Erestor, himself, would not have considered. It seemed to have worked, if he judged the nervousness in Eruanna's voice correctly, "you told him yes?"

Eruanna hesitated a moment before answering, "I did."

Erestor placed an arm around her shoulder, quick to brush away her fears, "I am glad." He kissed the top of Eruanna's head and stood, offering the elleth his hand. She took it and he helped her to her feet. As they made their way to the front door Erestor could not stop himself from adding one last thought, "Only this time, do try not to injure the boy."

Eruanna answered Erestor's comment with a mischievous smirk, "I'll make no promises of that."


	26. A new lesson

_**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 26 - A new lesson**

**Third Age 2720 (twenty years later)**

"Your stance is completely wrong!" Eruanna could not keep her frustration from coloring her voice. Rumil was altering his stance on purpose just to frustrate her but his reason for doing so remained elusive.

"Well then, why don't you correct me?" Rumil shot his teacher a mischievous look.

Eruanna shook her head in defeat. _So that is what he wants._ Moving to his side Eruanna placed her right hand on the small of Rumil's back. Her left hand she placed on his hip to guide him to the proper position.

"Are you certain you wish to put your hand there?" he asked Eruanna with an impish grin.

Eruanna looked up into Rumil's smiling face and gave him a look of mock offense. "You would not make such a joke if Haldir was instructing you."

Rumil laughed heartily. "You are not Haldir."

"I'm glad you noticed." Eruanna moved away from her pupil, appraising more than just his footing.

"You think I could mistake the two of you?" Rumil's brow rose in question though he did not wait for a response. Looking back at his sparring partner he gave her a defeated look. "I believe I am simply too tall for this maneuver."

Eruanna's placed her hands on her hips in protest. "Are you implying that I am short?"

"I imply nothing," was Rumil's witty response.

Eruanna was not willing to be so easily defeated. "Glorfindel taught me this move and he is taller than you by at least an inch."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Rumil cried. "I am much taller than Glorfindel. Your memory fails you."

Eruanna's brow rose in challenge. "I'd like to hear you say _that_ standing by his side."

"Would you?" Rumil grinned at Eruanna and within seconds the elleth's feigned anger melted into humor.

"When is it you go back to the borders?" she asked him.

"Two months," he answered her.

"Not soon enough," Eruanna exclaimed, "I believe I need a respite from you."

Rumil shook his head in disbelief. "You don't mean that," he stated firmly, "I have it on good authority that you miss me terribly when I'm away."

Eruanna feigned surprise, "And who told you that?"

"An elleth I know," Rumil took a few steps closer to Eruanna so that she was forced to tilt her face up to match his gaze, "with long brown hair and the most radiant smile ever to shine upon me."

"Hmph," was the Lady's only response. "No more words," she placed a hand on Rumil's chest guiding him back to the place he last stood and removing herself back to her previous position cried out, "Attack!"

Rumil responded immediately to his partner's command but once again found himself lying flat on his back with Eruanna standing over him. She had her hands on her hips, shaking her head down at him.

"You are shifting your center of balance too far forward," she concluded.

"Am I?" It had taken several _mistakes_ for Rumil to get Eruanna where he wanted her. She stood above him in the space between his knees and in a single deft motion he wrapped his legs around hers and with the angle she stood at brought her crashing down into his arms.

In an instant Eruanna found herself falling forward and a moment later pinned on the ground beneath Rumil. He sat up, resting himself on her hips, laughing.

"What was that for?" she asked the laughing warden.

"Your center of balance was too far forward," he mocked her gently.

"Because I was yelling at you, you fool." Eruanna pummeled Rumil lightly with closed fists.

Rumil took her hands, holding them against his chest. "Who is the foolish one now?" he smiled, and leaning closer, brought his lips a mere inch from hers.

"What are you doing?" Eruanna asked in confusion.

"A new lesson," Rumil grinned.

"What less…," Eruanna's words were halted by Rumil's lips upon hers. For a moment shock at her friend's behavior held her still and the fear that rose to the surface of her mind faded instantly with the touch of Rumil's gentle hands on her face. His lips were soft and gentle; they asked permission and made no demands.

Rumil pulled away after a moment and rose, pulling Eruanna to a seated position beside him. He studied her expression carefully for any reaction. He'd waited so long to kiss her and feared for a moment that he'd acted too soon. He watched as she lifted a delicate hand to her lips and traced their curves with her fingers.

"What?" Rumil whispered, his own nervousness not allowing a more elegant query.

Eruanna looked up at Rumil as if she'd momentarily forgotten his presence. "That was…nice."

"You are surprised?" Rumil gave Eruanna a devilish smile.

She gave Rumil an appraising look. "You can be clumsy at times."

He leaned forward until his lips brushed her ear. "Would you care for a repeat performance, to be sure your assessment was accurate?"

Eruanna's lips curled and turning her face toward Rumil's, answered him. "My teachers always said I should try new things."

"I shall have to thank Erestor for that bit of advice." He lifted a hand to pull her nearer.

When their lips met again, there was no hesitation. It was indeed a new lesson. The last time an ellon kissed her mouth it had been painful and cruel. This felt like heaven. Eruanna might have remained lost in Rumil's arms forever if not for the arrival of an unexpected guest.

"AHEM!" a loud voice coughed, causing the couple to draw apart.

A dark haired figure stepped out from behind a nearby tree. "That doesn't look like any combat maneuver I was taught."

Another ellon, of like face and form stepped out into the glade. "Maybe Rumil will be kind enough to instruct us."

Eruanna's jaw dropped open in shock at the sight of the two brothers. "Elrohir! Elladan!" She pushed Rumil away and rising to her feet, ran to the new arrivals, wrapping each in a warm embrace.

Pulling away from the twins she began her interrogation. "When did you arrive?"

"Just now," Elrohir answered her with a smile.

"We have impeccable timing," Elladan added, casting a furtive glance Rumil's way.

Elrohir chuckled, turning his eyes on Rumil "I don't think the warden would agree with you, brother."

Elladan leaned his back against a tree, crossing his arms over his chest. "_I_ think Rumil had better give us a good reason not to tell Erestor about this new move he is working on."

"Elladan!" Eruanna admonished.

Elladan only shrugged at her tone, "I suppose it can wait."

"Have you seen Arwen?" Eruanna asked the pair.

"We are going to surprise her now," Elladan answered.

Eruanna shook her head, her worried eyes landing on both brothers in turn. "She will be quite upset with you."

"We told her we'd return when our task was done," Elladan's justification for their long absence appeared to hold little merit with Eruanna.

"That was twenty years ago!" Eruanna exclaimed.

Elladan frowned, "We got distracted by a war."

"Or two," Elrohir added.

"We could not abandon our mortal brothers." It seemed a reasonable excuse to Elladan.

"Of course not," Eruanna rolled her eyes. She had little understanding of their concern for men, and had no desire to address the issue now.

Elrohir put his arm around her shoulders. "Will you come with us, or are you two still… _practicing_." His eyes fell on Rumil who silently climbed to his feet while the others were speaking.

"We are finished for the day," Rumil answered him.

"Excellent," Elladan took Eruanna's arm and began leading her away down the path.

Elrohir remained behind and shifted his gaze to the Lórien warden. Rumil met his gaze evenly, betraying nothing to the young Lord. Elrohir smiled, "I'll have to remember that sweep the next time I'm sparring with an elleth I fancy."

Rumil's eyes grew wide in surprise. The twins had been watching them much longer than he thought. He fixed the young Lord with a steely glare. "Spying, were you?"

Elrohir laughed off the warden's rising anger. He raised his hands in a placative gesture. "Just making sure you remembered your manners."

"My manners are impeccable," he assured Elrohir. Looking off down the path that Eruanna and Elladan traveled, his voice grew quiet. "You have missed much since leaving Lothlórien."

Elrohir gave his friend a reassuring smile, "Nothing I didn't see coming." The young Lord bowed his head in Rumil's direction, a gesture Rumil returned, before heading down the forest path. Before taking a dozen steps, he called back to Rumil over his shoulder. "I'm looking forward to playing Eruanna's big brother."

Rumil shook his head in dismay, muttering to himself. "I can't wait."


	27. Conversations of the heart

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 27- Conversations of the heart**

**Third Age 2720**

Arwen's anger at her brother's long absence did not last. It never did where the twins were concerned. The pair offered their excuses and apologies and Arwen forgave them. It was only after their sister smiled once more upon them that the twins returned their attention to Eruanna.

"I think it is time that we had a little chat with Rumil," Elladan gave Eruanna a pointed look.

"Elladan, don't," Eruanna cried desperately. She could only imagine what trouble the twins would cause Rumil.

"What is going on?" It was clear to Arwen that she had missed something important.

Eruanna's gaze shifted nervously from the twins to her guardian. The Lady's concern shone clear in her crystal blue eyes. Eruanna prayed that Arwen would help reign in her brothers. "Rumil kissed me." She said offhandedly, as if the event was nothing of consequence.

"Did he?" Arwen could not keep herself from smiling. She turned then to her brothers. It appeared they were well aware of this development and were determined to play Eruanna's watchdogs. As if on cue, the elder twin spoke.

"Care to join me?" Elladan asked his brother, knowing full well the younger ellon would not pass up such a rare opportunity. It had been a long time since an ellon dared attempt to court Arwen. It was more than a millennium ago that a young Lord of Mithlond attempted to capture their sister's heart. He was less than successful and the twins liked to joke that they'd had something to do with his lack of success.

"Any time," laughter infused Elrohir's bright eyes. He turned to the Ladies and with a flourish and a wink followed his elder in search of Rumil.

"Arwen!" Eruanna made one final plea to the Lady.

Arwen laid a comforting hand on the younger elleth's arm and called out to her brothers before they disappeared from sight. "Behave yourselves!"

The brothers heard Arwen's warning, but offered no response.

The Lady stood and with a gentle smile offered Eruanna her hand. "Shall we find Marilla?"

* * *

"He kissed you?" Marilla clasped her hands together, a broad grin lighting her face. "About time!"

Eruanna could only shake her head at her friend's none too surprising remark. "I don't see why _you_ are so excited."

"Are you kidding?" the elleth gasped, plopping herself down on Arwen's bed. "I've been waiting years for this!"

Arwen and Eruanna found themselves rolling their eyes in unison at Marilla's decree. Before Eruanna could even take a seat Marilla was upon her, pressing her for greater detail.

"Was it like in the great tales, full of romance and passion?" Marilla closed her eyes, imagining what such a kiss would feel like.

Eruanna lifted a hand to her lips. _Passion?_ "No, I would not describe it that way."

Marilla's joy abandoned her in an instant and her face fell. That was not the answer she was expecting. "Then how would you describe it?"

Eruanna thought long before answering. "It was like… being kissed by a breeze."

Marilla made a face that did all but voice her disappointment. "A breeze…I guess that's not too bad."

Eruanna folded her arms across her chest. There were times when Marilla tried her patience, and this was one of them. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Marilla easily recognized the anger in her friend's voice. She'd not meant to demean her special moment; it was only that Marilla had expected something…_more_. "I've been waiting for him to sweep you off your feet and kiss you till you swoon for lack of breath!"

"Don't be ridiculous." There were times when Marilla's imagination was almost too much to bear.

Marilla took a deep breath and in a surprisingly sober voice attempted to clarify her position. "It is in his eyes, whenever he looks upon you. I just expected something more… spectacular."

"He is cautious, Marilla." Arwen broke into the conversation, voicing her own thoughts for the first time. The two younger ellith turned rapt attention on the Lady. It was rare that the Lady joined in such talk. "He seeks permission."

Arwen rose from her place by the window and took a seat at Eruanna's side. The two spoke many times of Eruanna's friendship with Rumil. It was clear to Arwen from the beginning that bright as Eruanna was, she did not entirely comprehend the young warden's intentions. It worried her for a time, until Arwen had the chance to see Eruanna and Rumil together. Rumil was careful of Eruanna's innocence and he perceived just as well, the pain she hid deep within. "You told him… about Feredir?" Arwen asked without thought for Marilla's presence or what the handmaiden might know of those events.

Eruanna understood the many unspoken worries and concerns contained within that one question. In the years since they first met at Lothlórien's border, Eruanna shared many secrets with Rumil, and he with her. "Yes, I told him," she whispered.

The tension growing in Arwen's form eased some with those words. She rested her forehead against her little sister's. With a smile, she did her best to reassure Eruanna that despite Marilla's disappointment, there was nothing wrong with her and Rumil's first kiss. "Rumil is a patient ellon. He takes small steps to be sure you will not push him away."

"Or break his nose again." Marilla muttered under her breath.

Ignored or unheard, Eruanna said naught to Marilla but instead kept her full attention on Arwen and her near prophetic words, "How do you know this? Has the gift of foresight been granted to you as well?" she asked in earnest.

Arwen shook her head. She had neither her grandmother's gift nor her father's, but in this, she had little need of them. "I am merely observant." A gentle smile lit her face, "He loves you, Eruanna."

Eruanna's eyes grew wide with shock. She knew Rumil cared for her; she had no doubt of that- they were great friends.

_But love? _

She knew Arwen loved her, and Elrond and Erestor and Glorfindel, too. But it was not the love of a parent or a teacher of which Arwen spoke. In all her years of study, she'd learned naught to prepare her for this. Eruanna trusted Arwen's wisdom and wished to hear her confirmation. "You think so?"

"I am certain of it," Arwen replied without hesitation.

There was no doubt in Arwen's mind. There was a time when Arwen sought ever for an ellon's love and found it not. After more than two and a half millennia, Arwen soul mate had eluded capture. There were times, in her loneliness, that she considered leaving Middle Earth to join her mother in Valinor. Perhaps the Valar fated that love would find her on those distant shores.

Yet Arwen felt no bitterness toward Eruanna. On the contrary…little did she envy the great burden laid upon her. Eruanna had much to consider, much more than any other elleth in Middle Earth, save Arwen. For upon her decision lay more than just an ellon's heart. Eruanna was peredhel and to her the choice of mortality was given. "The choice that lies before you now is one that only you can answer. Will you walk with him, Eruanna? For in that decision rests the fate of your fëa…and his."

* * *

"Here you are!" Elrohir's voice broke into Rumil's silent reverie.

"We've been looking all over for you." Elladan added, taking a seat beside his old friend on the floor of the terrace and throwing his legs over the edge.

"Why am I not surprised?" Rumil could not find it within himself to offer his friends a smile.

Elladan noted the warden's sullen expression and endeavored to pry a smile from him. "Is Haldir at home?" Elladan asked suddenly, eyeing the darkened talan.

Rumil shook his head. "No, he and Orophin are at the Northern fences."

"Too bad," Elrohir chimed, seizing the opportunity to lighten Rumil's mood. "I know how much Haldir loves to have us around."

"We'll just have to surprise him when he returns home." Elladan threw his brother a wink that spoke of trouble to come. Unfortunately, their normal light hearted banter did little to perk up their friend.

Rumil's eyes swept from one mischievous ellon to the other. He knew they were attempting to lighten his mood but it was not working. "Just stay out of his room or he'll blame me for conspiring with you."

Elladan cast his brother a look that told him play time was over and threw an arm around Rumil. After all, they'd not sought Rumil out to plan pranks on the Marchwarden. "I think we all could use a drink. What do you say?" he gave the warden's shoulder a friendly squeeze.

"There is wine inside," Rumil answered. He might need a glass of wine tonight.

"I'll get it." Elrohir answered. He moved about in the darkened talan as one who'd had much experience navigating it under the cover of night. He emerged moments later with a bottle of wine and three glasses, poured a drink for each of the attending company and with a flourish, took a seat on the other side of Rumil opposite his brother.

They sat silently for a long time sipping at their drinks. It was Elrohir who spoke first. "Do you love her?"

Rumil studied his drink. He knew his answer might upset the ellyn sitting with him but there was no other response to give. "I'm afraid I might."

Elrohir's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked over at his brother. "Not exactly the answer I was expecting, you?"

"Not the proper answer at all," Elladan concluded, "especially to give an elleth's brothers."

If Rumil did not know Elladan and Elrohir as he did, he might have been worried at this point. He could see the confusion in their eyes. "You don't understand," he said at last.

"Enlighten us," Elrohir elbowed the warden in the ribs, urging him on.

Rumil looked to his hands. He was as close a friend to the sons of Elrond as any who dwelled in these woods, but there were many things of which the three had _not_ spoken. It was those, _unspoken_ things, he needed to discuss now. "Have you made your choice?" he asked them, his voice quiet and unsure.

Elladan was confused by his friend's somewhat cryptic question. He looked to his twin, who only shrugged in response. "What choice?" he asked Rumil, uncertain of his meaning.

Rumil turned to face the elder twin, "To remain in Middle Earth or sail to Valinor with the elves."

Elladan's eyes grew wide. Few had ever asked this question of him, some because they thought it impolite to ask, others, because they feared the answer. But this ellon needed an answer; he needed it desperately by the look in his eyes. "There is time yet, ere we are forced to choose," he answered for both he and his brother.

Rumil nodded. He knew there was still time for the peredhel to decide. He knew it well. That was why he'd not allowed _his_ heart to decide. "She has not chosen," he told them.

Elrohir's eyes softened visibly. He understood now his friend's uncertainty. "You have spoken with Eruanna of this?"

A weary sigh escaped Rumil's lips. "Only in passing, not as it pertains to our relationship."

Elrohir remembered well his conversation with Eruanna in the garden. He knew better than most that a mere twenty years was not long enough to heal the elleth's wounded heart. "She worries about her mother," Elrohir whispered.

"Yes," Rumil raised his face to study Elrohir; he saw understanding in the younger twin's eyes.

Rumil offered up to the sky a silent plea for guidance. He did not know how much the sons of Elrond would understand his fears but of all the ellyn in Middle Earth they came closest to knowing how he might feel. They faced the same choice - though from the other side. He prayed they would understand this confusion that threatened to swamp his soul. "It is said that an elf can give his heart only once." He looked to Elrohir, willing him to understand. "If I let myself love her and she chooses to stay…we will be parted forever. She will die and I…I will fade. After that…I know not what will become of my fëa."

Elrohir turned his gaze away, unable to bear the sadness in his friend's eyes. "Then why did you kiss her?"

Rumil closed his eyes. He'd asked himself that same question a thousand times this day. There was only one answer. "I wish to know what she feels for me, before I say words we may both regret," he paused then before voicing his deepest fear. "Does that make me a coward?" He studied the expression of each brother in turn. Both seemed lost in thought, eyes distant and unfocused. It was Elladan who answered him.

"No, my friend, you are no coward." Elladan squeezed Rumil's shoulder once more. "I have pushed away many ellith who tried to claim my heart. I will not give my love to another when my fate is not yet decided."

Rumil could see in Elladan's eyes and hear in his confession the burden of many years. When he turned to Elrohir, the same expression greeted him. They never looked so much alike as they did in that moment. Rumil addressed Elrohir, the brother he knew best and asked the son of Elrond a question that none before had dared to ask. "If you found love in a mortal, would you follow her?"

Elrohir laughed lightly, though sadness still lingered in his eyes. "Would I have a choice?"

Elladan looked to his brother and then shifting his gaze to Rumil, fixed the warden with a sure gaze, "If it is love, Rumil, she will follow you."

Hope filled Rumil's heart at his friends' words, but doubt still gnawed at its edges. "How am I to know?"

Elladan smiled then, for the first time since their conversation began. "It is the question of ages, Rumil. I doubt even our grandmother could give you the answer."

"Then what should I do?" Rumil flung his arms in the air in defeat.

"You ask our advice?" amusement filled Elladan's voice once more.

"I think that is a first," Elrohir announced, gladdened by the humor that returned to his brother's eyes.

"He might regret it," Elladan shook his head, sharing a wicked grin with his twin.

"Very well," Elrohir threw an arm around his friend and taking a sip of his wine, graced the anxious warden with a heartfelt grin, "Our advice is simple - kiss her again."


	28. What is love?

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 28 – What is love?**

**Third Age 2804**

**(84 years later) **

Rumil could not take his eyes off her. They spent the entire morning and half of the afternoon at their special spot beside the falls. He'd managed to convince Eruanna to join him for a swim…though _convince_ might be too generous a word. He helped her into the water, against her better judgment. She was not too happy at first but it took Rumil only a few minutes of pleading and several dozen kisses to convince her to remain in the clear, cool water. They spent the morning playing beneath the falls and the afternoon lounging on the shore. Or more specifically, Rumil lounged on the shore while Eruanna spent the time sketching in her journal, a pastime she had come to enjoy greatly. Rumil would sit quietly by for hours while she captured the life of the Golden Words.

He wasn't quite sure how she'd managed to fall asleep without him noticing. She'd been lying on her side, drawing a picture of a clump of weeds growing out of some nearby rocks. Now, her head lie cradled in the crook of her arm, pencil still in hand. Rumil could not keep himself from staring. Her eyes fluttered beneath closed lids. He'd seen Eruanna like this only a handful of times in the years they'd spent together. The first time, she'd fallen asleep in his arms while they were watching the stars. A wave of terror washed over him when he noticed her eyelids had fallen shut. He took her by the shoulders and shook her awake. In his panic, he would not heed her calming words and proceeded to drag Eruanna to the healer's talan. The only people he'd ever seen asleep with closed eyes were wardens- gravely injured in battle.

In that fraction of a second before her eyes opened, he believed Eruanna dead, and it nearly destroyed him.

"What are you doing?"

A quiet voice brought Rumil back from that terrible memory. His gaze focused on the source. Eruanna's eyes were no longer closed, and her expression was one of careful concern.

Rumil's heart lifted at the sight of those beautiful eyes. He laughed lightly, driving away the concern he saw reflected there. "I was watching you sleep."

Eruanna sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she did. She had not forgotten the fear that possessed him the first time she'd fallen asleep in his company. He refused to believe her when she told him all was well. Even after the healer deemed her in perfect health, Rumil refused to leave her side. It had taken Erestor's firm assurances to quell the warden's fears.

Eruanna lifted a hand to stifle a yawn. Rumil's eyes were still upon her, a curious expression on his face. "You must find it odd," she managed to say, before another yawn took her.

Rumil would not lie to her, though a part of him was ashamed that anything about Eruanna could unnerve him. "It is somewhat disconcerting. Elves only close their eyes in sleep when injured."

Eruanna nodded at that and offered the ellon a playful smile. "Were you concerned for my health, my dear warden?"

Rumil shook his head. "No," he knew better now. It was not the threat of illness that sparked his concern. "However, you do appear quite vulnerable, sleeping thus." He crawled across the blanket that lay spread out beneath them and reaching Eruanna's side, leaned in to whisper in her ear. "It makes me wish to stay at your side, so that I may protect you forever."

Rumil's words tickled her ear. She turned wide, mirthful eyes upon him. "So that is what you desire…to protect me from harm?"

"Hmmm," was all the reply she received before Rumil's lips captured hers. His hands traced the lines of her face and danced through her hair.

Eruanna's mind refused to work whenever Rumil kissed her. In the years since their lips first touched, Eruanna had grown to cherish these gentle moments together. And yet, she could not forget Marilla's ardent words. Rumil's kisses made her heart flutter, but none had ever come close to Marilla's description of breathless passion. Only once or twice had Eruanna glimpsed in Rumil's eyes the fire of which Marilla spoke, but each time Rumil would pull back and the emotion within them would fade away.

Eruanna understood his fear. She was not a fool. And even if she were…Elrohir had made sure to inform her of Rumil's concerns before he and his brother departed.

"_He loves you, little one, but he is afraid," Elrohir whispered. _

_The seriousness in Elrohir's voice disturbed Eruanna greatly, for it rarely boded well. "Afraid? I thought elven warriors possessed no fear." _

_Eruanna's stab at humor caught the ellon off guard. He smiled, but little of the expression reached his eyes. "He knows you have not decided if you will sail." _

_A tired sigh escaped Eruanna. It was true. She'd said as much to Rumil when the pair discussed her mother. Eruanna's fate remained undecided and such uncertainty was bound to weigh heavily upon him. "I understand." _

_Elrohir watched his companion's eyes grow distant. Where her thoughts wandered, he knew not. He had one last question for her…the same question Rumil had been unable to answer. "Do you love him?_

_Eruanna's eyes came back into focus but the answer to Elrohir's question eluded her. "I...,"she looked up to Elrohir with questioning eyes, as if _he_ might possess the answer. _

_Elrohir saw the confusion in Eruanna's eyes, she looked to him for an answer, but he had none. "I've been told the only person who can tell you that you are in love is _you_."_

_Eruanna could not suppress a smile. "Wise words…worthy of Lord Erestor."_

_Elrohir's eyes grew wide at the unexpected…was it a compliment? "I'll remember to tell him you said so," he quipped. _

_Elrohir's thoughts returned to Rumil. The warden was his friend and had saved him from both orcs _and_ Haldir's wrath on more than one occasion. He wanted to be sure Eruanna understood what her decisions would mean for him. "You cannot love Rumil and remain in Middle Earth. That choice would doom him. It would be better to walk away now." _

_Eruanna agreed wholeheartedly, and yet a thought plagued her…one she had not courage enough to share with Arwen. "And if I discover I do not love him?"_

_Elrohir shrugged, "Then you are free to make any choice without guilt or burden."_

_With those words a sudden fear rose within Eruanna, a fear that had been building since Arwen first declared Rumil's love for her. "What if I turn away, only to find that no one else shall ever love me again?"_

_Elrohir's heart constricted at the fear lacing Eruanna's words. How can she believe such? "It is not so," Elrohir stated firmly._

"_How do you know?" Eruanna's eyes glistened with unshed tears. She wished so much to believe him._

_Elrohir turned away from those pain filled eyes. The answer buried within him shouted to be freed. Before he could stop himself, Elrohir leaned closer to Eruanna and placed a kiss on the edge of her mouth. The gesture startled Eruanna, and she lifted a hand to her face, her eyes wide. "I know," was all he said to her before picking himself up and vanishing into the darkening wood. _

Eruanna broke away from Rumil and turned her face up to see the sun. "The hour grows late. Do you not have a warden meeting soon?"

Rumil followed Eruanna's gaze and noted the time. They really should be getting back. "Yes," he sighed in dismay. "I'm afraid Haldir has come up with new border assignments and I must be there to challenge his decisions…"

Eruanna gave Rumil a meaningful look that told him he should not cause the Marchwarden undo trouble.

"…when appropriate," he added quickly, not wishing to incur the Lady's wrath.

Eruanna stood then and brushed the bits of leaf and twig off of her skirt. "I suppose that means I should escort you back to town. I wouldn't want you to get lost along the way."

Rumil jumped to his feet and with a grand flourish, bowed before Eruanna. "You are too kind, my Lady."

Eruanna laughed merrily at the elaborate gesture and returned it with a sweeping curtsy. They laughed at each other while hurriedly packing their picnic basket and other belongings before heading back to town.


	29. The Mirror

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 29 – The Mirror**

**Third Age 2804**

Galadriel walked alone and with a purpose. Her light step made no noise. She did not hurry, for the one she sought was drawing near. They would meet soon enough.

It would be the second time the Lady attempted to influence Eruanna's fate, only this time, there was more at stake than wounded pride and a broken nose. The future hung in the balance and even the great Lady of the Golden Wood could not see where that future might lead.

She heard laughter, the laughter of a young couple, blissfully unaware of anything but each other. The Lady's thoughts flitted briefly to a time long ago, when she and Celeborn found such bliss in the woods of Doriath. A smile curled her lips at the memory of those days and the long years of peace that followed. Celeborn was her light, her strength...the foundation she'd built her life on.

Part of her wished to turn away, to break from the path and let the happy couple pass, but she could not. She had no doubt the Valar called upon her to intervene. The mirror told her this and she would heed their will. In the end, the course of Eruanna's future would be set by her alone, but Galadriel would see that it was a path well chosen.

"My Lady," two voices chimed in surprise. Rumil offered his Lady a bow while Eruanna curtsied.

Galadriel smiled kindly upon the two edhil who appeared in her path. They looked so happy together that it took much effort for the Lady to keep her guilt at bay. "Eruanna, Rumil…so good to see you both on this fine day. Where are you off to?" She knew, of course. Haldir's meeting was about to begin.

"Just returning, my Lady," Eruanna answered, "from the falls."

"Ah, yes," the Lady responded, "the perfect place to spend a quiet day."

"Yes, my Lady," Rumil agreed wholeheartedly but his thoughts turned to more serious matters. A responsible Lórien warden shouldn't be tardy, "but I'm afraid I have a meeting with Haldir and the other wardens this afternoon. It will begin shortly." He would not be rude to the Lady, but nor did he look forward to arriving late at his brother's meeting.

Galadriel did not need to read Rumil's thoughts to know them. Haldir did not tolerate laggards. "We would not want you to be late. Haldir would be most displeased."

Rumil smiled, he knew the Lady would understand. He took Eruanna's arm in his once more, but before they could bid the Lady farewell, Galadriel raised her hand.

"Would you mind terribly, Rumil, if Eruanna walked with me?"

Rumil and Eruanna shared a brief look of surprise but Rumil nodded his assent. The warden lifted Eruanna's hand to his lips before releasing her, "Of course, my Lady." He smiled at Eruanna, "I'll see you tonight."

"Enjoy your meeting," she bid him playfully, before turning full attention on the Lady. Galadriel was still a great and somewhat intimidating figure to Eruanna's mind. Galadriel was the Lady of Light to the people of Lórien, but Eruanna knew her, also, as a loving grandmother to Arwen. She tried to keep _that_ image of the Lady in mind when she took Galadriel's arm.

"Shall we walk?" Galadriel could see the trust in Eruanna's eyes but also a small sliver of worry. This was the first and only time that Galadriel sought the child out alone. That fact had certainly not been missed by Eruanna.

They walked without a word towards the center of the city, Galadriel leading the way. The late summer sun shone down upon them but the mallorn kept the woodland air cool as in spring. _Spring._ "Arwen wishes to return to Imladris next spring," Galadriel watched for the young one's response.

"I know…she and Erestor spoke to me of their plans last night." Eruanna's voice held a hint of sadness at the thought of leaving. She would miss her new friends, some more than others… but she missed Imladris as well.

Galadriel knew well enough the young elleth's thoughts. She wished to ease them, if only for a short while. "You are welcome in this land, Eruanna. You may remain as long as you wish or visit whenever you desire."

Eruanna smiled thankfully, Lady Galadriel's kindness was greater than any elf she'd ever known, save Lord Elrond. "Thank you, my Lady."

They were walking along a new path now; one Eruanna did not recognize. It amazed her that she'd managed not to find this place in the century she spent roaming these woods. She took in the expanse of the glade, the water trickling through the roots of the trees into a small pool, a shining metal bowl resting upon an elegantly carved stone pedestal. "I have not been to this place before," she whispered.

"Most have not," the Lady replied as they descended the stairs.

Eruanna's eyes strayed once more to the bowl. "Is that…?"

Galadriel released her arm, leaving her alone at the center of the glade. She took up a silver carafe resting by the pool and filled it with water.

Galadriel turned, holding Eruanna with ancient, fathomless eyes. "Will you look into the mirror?" _Say yes, child… you have to look. I need you to look._

Eruanna's eyes opened wide, "Am I not too young?" she glanced nervously from the Lady to the mirror.

The question was unexpected; Galadriel did not know from whence it came. "Why should age make a difference?"

Eruanna thought back to a conversation she had with Arwen. They spoke of fate and of destiny, they spoke of the mirror. Eruanna knew Arwen had never set foot in this glade. "Lady Arwen is much older than I and you have never brought her here."

Galadriel's face softened in understanding. "It is not her time yet."

"So it is my time?" disbelief rang through in her voice.

Galadriel filled the mirror with water and retreating a few paces, met the elleth's eyes. "Only you know the answer to that question, Eruanna." She gestured for Eruanna to step forward, if she would. _Please look, Eruanna. There are things I need you to see._

Eruanna stepped forward, her hands alighting on the mirror's edge. The waters held within swirled beneath her gaze. She thought she saw something beneath the rippling waves. The images came into focus…one after another, she saw them.

…_herself as a small child, lifted into Haldor's strong arms… _

…_Feredir…_

…_lessons with Erestor and Glorfindel…_

…_Rumil's smiling face… _

Her heart skipped a beat at the promise held in his eyes, at the love she saw reflected there. The image was short lived. His face vanished and in its place, darker visions emerged.

…_Erestor shouting her name… his face twisted in horror…_

…_the broken bodies of elves, their blood staining the ground red …_

…_Arwen lying ill, a shadow cast upon her face… _

And before the mirror went dark one final image formed.

… _sitting on her knees, her arms wrapped around a weeping ellon…an ellon with long dark hair…_

The water stilled and she saw no more.

Eruanna's voice caught in her throat. Tears formed in her eyes, threatening to fall. She wiped them forcefully away. "What is it I have just seen?" her voice trembled, a mixture of fear and confusion.

Galadriel's expression darkened. Her voice rang clear in the small glade and it seemed even the leaves trembled at her words. "The time of the elves is almost over. The Shadow will soon be upon us. You have seen what his return may bring."

Eruanna backed away from the mirror. Her mind swam with the memory of those visions...ones that would haunt her for years to come. "Why did you show me these things?" she cried.

Eruanna's question echoed in the silence. It demanded an answer but Galadriel was not certain the child would understand. "He will need you," was the lady's reply.

_Who? _

It was the first and most obvious question that sprung to Eruanna's mind.

_You know._..came the echo of an answer.

Only then did Eruanna recall the final image she beheld in the mirror; the dark haired ellon whose face she had not seen.

She did not see him, but she knew him well.

She knew him by the hands that rose to cradle his face, by the unique hue of his hair, and she knew the room. It was his study.

_Elrond._ It was Elrond the mirror showed her comforting; it was him she'd seen, weeping on his knees. "I don't understand."

The sadness that pooled in Galadriel's eyes threatened to spill over. Only long years of practice kept her emotions at bay. This was about Elrond, not Galadriel. "With each passing year his hold on this world weakens. It has been so, ever since my daughter departed. He needs something, _someone_ to hold him here."

Eruanna did not understand what the Lady was saying, or perhaps she did not wish to. "What about Arwen and his sons?" _Do _they_ not hold him here?_

"Elladan and Elrohir have already abandoned him. Their guilt drives them away from those they love. And Arwen," the Lady paused. It was not her place to reveal Arwen's future to another, but perhaps, this once, "Arwen, too, may choose a different path. One that will take her away from those she loves."

Galadriel saw many things, and Elrond, too, possessed the gift of foresight. They were both weighted down beneath the burden of knowledge and many years. "He knows this as I do, he has foreseen it, and it weighs heavily upon his heart."

_He has lost so many… so many, just as I have._

Only one difference separated the Lady of Light from Elrond Peredhel.

_Celeborn_.

Celeborn remained steadfastly at her side as he had for more than 6,000 years…he was her center, the rock she rested her weary head upon. Galadriel's voice came out as a whisper, or perhaps she did not speak at all. "Even the greatest of elves and men, need a rock to lean upon."

"I am no rock," a hint of anger colored Eruanna's voice.

Galadriel's eyes widened at the emotion that came with those words. Few in Arda would have strength or courage enough to speak that way to the Lady of Light. "No," Galadriel paused, the smallest smile curling her lips, "you are stronger."

Eruanna lifted a hand to her head to stop it from spinning. This was all so very confusing. She did not understand why the Lady allowed her these visions. It was not as though Eruanna would desert her family, her loved ones. She would not abandon Elrond if he was in pain or Arwen in her hour of need.

But there was something more, something the Lady left unspoken that forced her hand, forced these terrible visions upon her.

_But what?_

Eruanna fixed the great Lady of the Golden Wood with a firm, unyielding gaze. It was the same question she asked before, but this time, it was nothing short of a demand.

"Why did you show me?"

Galadriel found herself unable to meet the child's eyes, a feat few elves could boast.

_A rock, indeed._

Perhaps it was the guilt Galadriel felt rising that forced the answer from her lips. "Rumil will ask you to stay," she said simply, and when her gaze returned to Eruanna, a stunned expression graced the young one's face.

_He will ask me to stay…here, in Lothlórien?_ Eruanna's thoughts swam in confusion.

Galadriel glided to Eruanna's side. She lifted a hand to Eruanna's cheek and the touch brought her eyes immediately to Galadriel's. The Lady saw within their depths the turmoil her words ignited. In that moment, Galadriel wished she could take them back. _I should have let the happy couple pass. _

It mattered not. There was only one truth that bound all of existence… _you can not go back_.

Only forward.

"You must decide, Eruanna…who will need you more in the years to come, the House of Elrond or the ellon who holds your heart in his hands."


	30. Spring has come

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 30 – Spring has come**

**Third Age 2805**

Haldir sat at the dining table looking over a pile of reports while Rumil cleaned up from dinner. It was custom for the brothers to share chores at home and Haldir had prepared a delicious meal for them both and so the responsibility to clean the mess fell on Rumil. Haldir cast a concerned glance at his brother's back. Rumil had been unusually pensive these past few months. It was not like him to be silent. Haldir was not one to instigate casual conversation but he needed to get his brother talking about something if he was to find out the cause of Rumil's mood.

"I have assigned wardens to escort Lady Arwen across the mountains; three from your company." Haldir looked up from the list, expecting some sort of response from his youngest brother. None was forthcoming.

Rumil continued washing a large serving bowl that only an hour ago contained their dinner. Haldir swore it was the same bowl he'd seen Rumil scrubbing more than ten minutes ago.

"Rumil?" still no response. Frustrated by his brother's lack of attention, Haldir raised his voice, "Rumil!"

Rumil nearly jumped a foot off the ground. Turning slightly he finally offered his brother a response. "You don't have to shout."

Haldir's eyes grew wide at that. "Apparently I do."

"What is it?" Rumil asked impatiently.

"Weren't you listening to me?" Haldir crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair awaiting an answer.

Rumil offered up an apologetic smile. "I didn't hear you. I'm sorry."

Haldir shook his head but his heart filled with concern. "I would think you of all people would want to be sure Eruanna is well protected on her journey home." He turned back to the list resting on the table. "I've assigned you to the company as well." Lifting his head, Haldir saw the same distant expression appear on Rumil's face once more. "What is wrong?" Haldir waited for a response but all Rumil did was stare down at the serving bowl.

Haldir laid down his papers and turned complete attention on Rumil. "Brother?" It was both a question and a demand.

Rumil traced his fingers along the intricate pattern that decorated the object he had in his hand. Eruanna made it for him several years earlier under Marilla's guidance. The handmaiden might be somewhat irritating at times but her talent with clay was unmatched. It was a gift he treasured and a physical reminder of what he was about to lose.

Rumil placed the bowl on the counter to dry and lifting his eyes wearily in his older brother's direction, spoke. "I do not want her to leave, Haldir."

Haldir's eyes softened and he nodded slowly in understanding. He knew this was coming. "I know," he said quietly in reply. Haldir lifted a foot and with it pushed the chair beside him out from under the table.

Rumil sat heavily in the chair beside his Haldir. Rumil was forever turning to his elder for advice but in his heart he worried that this time Haldir's age would not necessarily be enough to offer him counsel. "What am I to do?" he asked simply.

Haldir knew the question was coming but he truly had no answer. The Marchwarden of Lórien had not yet found love and he doubted he would do so before leaving this world. "You love her." It was not a question.

"Yes." Rumil knew it in his heart, in his soul and every fiber of his being. _I love her._

Haldir nodded. _Then the answer is simple._ "Ask her to stay."

Rumil nearly fell off his chair at his brother's suggestion. He'd thought about it, thought about it from the very day Eruanna said she was leaving. He never imagined Haldir would agree. "You think I should?"

Haldir heard the disbelief in Rumil's voice but did not know why his brother would doubt him. "Why wouldn't I?"

Rumil shrugged and the thought that had troubled him most fell from his lips. "It has been the three of us for so long."

Haldir could not suppress a smile. "So it has." He met his brother's eyes and attempted to reassure him. "One more place setting at the dinner table will not destroy our family, Rumil."

"But it will change," he whispered, unsure he had the right to alter his brothers' lives.

"The world is changing." Haldir stated flatly. He'd seen it. The orc attacks mounting. The mountain passes and the roads more dangerous than ever before.

_But there is yet light in the world._

Haldir rested a hand on Rumil's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "She has brought you great happiness these last few years. I would not have you give that up." The earnest expression on Haldir's face morphed slowly into one of amusement. "On the other hand, I do not relish the thought of building another talan."

Rumil's brow rose in his brother's direction.

"What?" Haldir huffed. "You do not think Orophin and I will want to be around you love birds day and night. We'll have to build another talan in a neighboring tree."

Rumil laughed heartily at his brother, shaking his head all the while. "I don't know what you're complaining about. You will not be doing the work."

"No," Haldir conceded. All the same, he could not suppress a vision of two dozen elves _loudly_ completing the task, "but the peace of my days will be greatly diminished."

Rumil's light chuckled exploded into deep laughter. Haldir always found the right words to cheer him up.

Haldir kicked his brother lightly in the leg. Eruanna would be leaving in five days time. It was now or never. "Go to her Rumil, now, before it's too late."

* * *

Rumil ran to Eruanna's talan. He took the steps two at a time until he reached her door. He hesitated but a moment, before knocking soundly.

The door swung open and the elleth that haunted Rumil's very dreams stood before him. He could not speak. His mouth opened but the words would not come.

Eruanna's joy at the sight of the young warden turned rapidly to concern. Rumil spoke not a word and remained still as a stone carved statue outside her door.

"Rumil?" her eyes questioned. She took his arm and led him inside, closing the door behind him. She looked up into those cloudy eyes, her hands wrapped in his. "Rumil, what is wrong?"

"I…" The words would not come out. He was standing there in front of her but they wouldn't come.

Eruanna lifted a delicate hand to Rumil's face. She'd never seen him like this…not even that day by the lake. Eruanna allowed herself to forget Lady Galadriel's prophetic words these last few months, but she heard them again, echoing in Rumil's eyes. "Tell me," her voice trembled, but she knew already, the question that was to come.

The gentle plea reached Eruanna's dark eyes, causing Rumil's thoughts to explode into words, "Don't go."

It was a cry of desperation, but spoken so softly, Eruanna was not certain Rumil wished her to hear him.

Eruanna's mouth opened, but it was her turn to fall silent.

Rumil's voice filled the room, his courage retuned. His hands clasped Eruanna's upper arms, pulling her close. "Stay here with me. Do not return to Imladris."

Eruanna shook her head, her heart breaking at the desperation she heard in those words, "I cannot."

Rumil looked deep into Eruanna's eyes. There was something hidden within their depths; a secret of which they'd never spoken. "Why?"

He deserved an answer but she had none to give him. How could she tell him? How could she make him understand all that she'd seen, shadows of things that _might_ be? How could she tell him the reason she must leave, when she, herself knew not why. Eruanna shook her head to clear her turbulent thoughts. She tried to pull out of Rumil's grasp but he would not release her.

Eruanna would not answer him and she tried to pull away. It was too much for him to bear. Without thought Rumil pulled her roughly against him as his mouth came crashing down upon hers. All of the fear and desperation he felt at losing her, all of the passion he'd long restrained burst forth. He kissed her, willing her to hear him, to understand what words could not convey.

Never before had Rumil kissed her like this. She could barely breathe, he held her so close. His mouth and hands desperately seeking to possess her, she could taste his passion…his fear, his desire to never let her go.

Rumil's breathe came in labored gasps. He lifted his face from hers, and lifting a hand to her face, spoke words he never imagined saying to an elleth. "I love you."

Eruanna shut her eyes. _I love you, too._ She would have said it, would have told him, if not for the memory of Elrohir's warning.

_You cannot love Rumil and remain in Middle Earth. That choice would doom him. _

Eruanna could not say those words to him now, not when the future lay clouded in shadow. She didn't know where her destiny would lead her. She would not be the one to doom the ellon she loved. Eruanna prayed only that one day Rumil would forgive her. "I…I know."

It was not the answer Rumil hoped for…he stepped away as if burned.

Eruanna placed a gentle hand on his arm. Her eyes pleaded for understanding. "I must go with them, Rumil. They need me." The words were spoken softly, in a tone one would use to comfort a child with a skinned knee.

Rumil's heart was far more fragile; her words more akin to arrows.

He turned away so she could not see the pain her words caused him and made to leave her talan for the last time. At the doorway, he paused and his answer echoed long in Eruanna's heart, "_I _need you."


	31. Departing

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 31- Departing**

**Third Age 2805**

Several days passed wherein Eruanna neither saw nor heard from Rumil. When she finally found enough courage to call at his talan, it was Haldir who answered the door.

"Haldir," she met his gaze evenly. The Marchwarden wore a guarded expression, one that told her he knew of Rumil's visit, as well as the answer she'd given him.

Haldir was not surprised to see Eruanna at his door. It was nearly five days since Rumil returned home. It would not be far from the truth to say that his brother had been close to tears, though he tried hard to hide his pain. It angered him…that this tiny elleth could wound his brother so easily but he found he could not blame Eruanna for all that Rumil suffered. He was the one who counseled Rumil to ask her to stay. He was certain she'd say yes…and for that mistake, Haldir felt a measure of guilt.

"He is not here." It was a simple statement, filled with neither anger nor compassion.

"Where is he?" she asked, keenly aware of Haldir's carefully measured words. They had become friends, of a sort, these last hundred years, but he was first and foremost Rumil's brother.

Haldir hesitated a moment. His brother had shown a brave face upon his return, but hurt and rejection burned in his eyes. He'd needed a distraction and left for the borders that very same night. "He is guarding the northern border," he told her.

Haldir's words hurt more than any blow she'd ever taken on the training fields, more than the day her grandparents told her they would sail west. She'd expected Rumil to be upset with her, but she never imagined he'd leave without saying goodbye. The pain must have reached her eyes for a hand reached out to clasp hers. She looked down at the hand and then into Haldir's face.

Haldir watched Eruanna's expression darken. He could see the same pain that filled his brother's eyes reflected in hers and found himself reaching out to offer comfort. "He needs time."

Eruanna fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "I leave tomorrow."

There was a question in her words and Haldir did not know how to answer it. A frown graced his normally unreadable face. "He loves you and he believed you felt the same."

"I do," Eruanna whispered.

Haldir did not doubt the truth of her words. What he did not understand was why she would push Rumil away. "Then why are you leaving?"

If there was one ellon in Lothlórien that could understand, it was Haldir. She tried to find the words. "Would you abandon Lórien, if she needed you?" Eruanna searched Haldir's eyes. She searched them and slowly, she found understanding.

Haldir shook his head slowly; he understood duty. "I would not."

Eruanna smiled hesitantly, taking a deep, shaky breath. "When he returns tell him…tell him I hope to see him again soon."

The ellon nodded, "I will tell him."

"Thank you, Haldir."

* * *

The bags were packed. The horses were ready. It was nearly time to leave.

Marilla hung on Eruanna's arm. The two had become inseparable friends and Marilla was close to tears at their parting.

Eruanna hugged Marilla. The lighthearted elleth was now like a sister to her and it was difficult to say goodbye. She pulled away, offering her friend a kind smile. "Come and visit me in Imladris."

Marilla laughed at her friend's suggestion. "I don't know if I am brave enough to travel so far," she replied. "You'll just have to promise to visit again soon so you can see your friends again…_all_ of them." She gave Eruanna a pointed look.

Eruanna's smile faltered, "I will try."

Marilla hugged Eruanna once more. "I'll kick him for you, when I see him," she whispered into Eruanna's ear before pulling away.

"Marilla," Eruanna shook her head in disapproval. Marilla only ignored her, turning to greet Erestor as he approached.

"Good journey, Lord Erestor," Marilla offered the old ellon.

"Namárië, Marilla," the counselor replied. "I hope you will come to visit us." A century ago, Erestor would not have believed he'd be speaking such words to the spirited young elleth. Over the years, he'd come to appreciate the young one's good nature and the friendship she'd formed with Eruanna.

"We shall see," Marilla grinned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll need to see Elladan before you depart."

Eruanna laughed at the twinkle in her friend's eyes. "You mean ogle him, don't you?"

Marilla feigned shock. "How completely scandalous of you," she cried, throwing her friend a wink before moving to the other side of the courtyard.

Erestor shook his head as he watched the two ellith exchange barbs. Marilla would be sorely missed.

And she was not the only one…

Eruanna's eyes moved from her friend to the treeline. Erestor knew whom she sought. He'd hoped the young warden would swallow his pride and come to bid Eruanna farewell. Rumil was in pain… but so was Eruanna.

_Erestor returned to the talan to find Eruanna sitting on the porch, staring up at the stars. "Beautiful night, isn't it?" he commented while taking a seat at her side. _

_She made no reply. Slowly, she turned her face to meet his. He could see her tears glistening in the starlight. "What is wrong, child?"_

_Eruanna rested her head upon Erestor's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her in comfort, awaiting a response. _

"_Rumil asked me to stay in Lothlórien with him," she whispered through her tears._

_A wave of shock…powerful and overwhelming took hold of Erestor. He did not know what to say. It had taken millennia to find Eruanna, to fill the emptiness in his heart. Could he part with his child now, after only a mere two and a half centuries? After a few minutes of silent contemplation, Erestor found his voice._

"_What was your answer?" he tried to keep his voice steady so not to betray his own troubled thoughts. _

_Eruanna sat up straight and wiped the tears with the back of her sleeve. "I cannot stay. I must return to Imladris." _

_Erestor heard surety in her voice but the words were leaden with pained regret. Erestor placed a reassuring hand on hers. His heart lightened, knowing she would be returning home with him and yet, he could not but offer her the alternative. "You can stay, Eruanna, if it is your wish." _

_Eruanna opened her mouth as if to reply but fell silent._

_Erestor saw confusion in her eyes and attempted to explain further. "We will miss you. I will miss you." He squeezed her hands to punctuate his words. "But I would give my very life to see you happy." He sighed, "If Rumil brings you happiness, then I wish you all the joy in Arda."_

_Eruanna shook her head. "I must return," she repeated. _

_This time there was something in the way she spoke those words that gave Erestor pause. He looked deep into her soft brown eyes; a shadow lingered within their depths. It was a darkness he'd seen many times in the eyes of those who'd seen the great battles of the past. _

"_The mirror," the words fell from his lips. It was the only way his sweet child could know such darkness. _

_Eruanna nodded, "It showed me such terrible things," fresh tears fell with these words. _

_Erestor pulled Eruanna into a tight embrace, silently cursing Galadriel and her meddling ways. _

Eruanna never told him what she saw in the mirror. He did not ask. He did not have to…the Shadow would come and the House of Elrond would suffer. It was whispered by the tears that fell from her eyes.

"Are you ready?" he placed a hand on Eruanna's shoulder, drawing her attention away from the trees.

"Yes," Eruanna smiled wanly, "I think so." Eruanna gripped the reins of her horse tightly and began leading him away. She nearly reached the city gate when the sweetest sound in all of Arda reached her ear.

"Eruanna."

Eruanna spun around so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet, "Rumil." There he stood, where only a moment earlier she'd hoped to catch sight of him. "I thought…Haldir said you were at the border."

Rumil looked at the ground, ashamed at his childish behavior, "I was…but I came back."

"I'm glad," Eruanna answered quietly. There was so much to say but there was not enough time.

Rumil lifted his head. He searched Eruanna's face and he saw forgiveness. "I could not let you leave without saying goodbye."

Eruanna took a step closer to Rumil so that she had to tilt her head upward to meet his eyes. She laid a hand on his arm committing every detail of him to memory. "Must there be a goodbye?" she asked him.

Eruanna looked down at her hands, trying to find the words to explain. "You told me once you did not sail west because you knew it was not your time."

Rumil nodded. He remembered that night, that conversation well.

She met Rumil's eyes, willing him to understand. "It is not time yet for me to leave them."

The pair stood in silence for a long moment but their _eyes_ spoke volumes. Love and duty, Rumil understood them well. And the decision, once accepted, felt like the lifting of a great weight from his heart. "Then we shall not say goodbye," he concluded, a broad smile brightening his face.

Eruanna's expression mirrored Rumil's. "No goodbyes."

Eruanna threw her arms around Rumil's neck, pulled his face down to meet hers and kissed him. It was not like her to be so forward, but this was no time to act like a lady. She wanted Rumil to remember this moment and not the sadness of their parting.

Rumil traced the outline of Eruanna's face memorizing every curve. He had no idea when they would see each other again.

Eruanna could feel the tears threatening to break free. She looked into Rumil's clear blue eyes. They held the same sadness she felt deep in her heart and the same hope. "Should Arwen wish to return to Lothlórien…," she did not finish the sentence for fear of making a promise she could not keep.

Rumil smiled in understanding and reached for her hand. He uncurled her fingers and in her open palm placed a silver pendant in the likeness of three interlocking stars.

Eruanna's eyes widened at the beautiful and unexpected gift. "It is beautiful."

"I had it made for you some time ago, but I never found the proper moment to present it."

There was something about the pendant that awakened a memory. "Oromë's stars?"

Rumil nodded, "It will help us remember…"

Eruanna did not understand what he meant. "Remember what?"

"That he waited many ages for the Children to awaken. That he was patient." Rumil lifted his free hand to Eruanna's face and kissed her once more. He pulled her close, savoring the memory of her cradled in his arms. "You have my heart, Eruanna. I will wait for you…forever."


	32. Noro lim

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 32-****Chapter 32 – Noro lim**

**Third Age 2805**

The journey home went much as it did on the journey to Lórien, except every member of the party was keenly aware of the sadness emanating from its youngest member. Even the twins did their best to keep quiet, knowing their ill begotten humor would do nothing to lift Eruanna's spirit. The company took shelter in the same small cave as they did on their first crossing. Elladan and Elrohir sat with the guards around a large fire, relating a tale about some battle they fought with the Rohirrim. Eruanna sat a ways away lost in her own thoughts. Her hand found the star pendant that hung on a chain around her neck. Holding it did not alleviate the aching of her heart, but it lessened it a bit. The feel of the jewel in her hand kept the doubt from gnawing at her.

But doubt still lingered in her heart.

She dropped the pendant and it fell against her chest. She stared blankly into the darkness of the cave, wishing she had the power to know the future. It was a power none possessed. Even Lady Galadriel or Lord Elrond did not know all that was to come… and that, at least, gave her some small measure of comfort. The sound of soft gasps drew her attention back to the fire circle and the company of warriors listening to the young Lords. Eruanna studied their worried expressions but she could not make out the words that caused their concern.

"They do have a way with words."

Eruanna jumped at the sound of the soft male voice that invaded her private thoughts. She'd not heard the Lord's approach.

Glorfindel's step was as silent as ever and in Eruanna's distracted state, he knew she would not hear him. He took a seat on the floor at her side. He said nothing, but returned his gaze to the fire circle.

Eruanna cast a sideways glance at the ellon, responding to his offhand comment. "At least this tale is a quiet one," she remarked. It was _strange_. Elladan and Elrohir were normally far more theatrical in their storytelling.

"And tragic," Glorfindel added, his voice laced with sadness.

Eruanna gave her companion a questioning look. An expression Glorfindel knew quite well. In fact, he'd come to miss it during the years Eruanna was away.

Glorfindel was not a storyteller, but Eruanna's eyes demanded an answer. He gave it to her, in a far less entertaining version than the twins had related. "The Rohirrim held off a great many invaders from behind the walls of the Hornberg. The siege lasted through the winter. Many died from hunger. Elladan and Elrohir led raids on the enemy encampment to gather food for Rohan's women and children. This was nearly fifty years ago."

Eruanna's jaw fell open slightly. Her eyes flew to the identical faces of the young Lords. They had not mentioned this the last time they visited Lórien, "What happened?"

Glorfindel exhaled slowly. _At least this tale had a somewhat happy ending._ If one could call it that. "Reinforcements from Gondor arrived after winter broke and the Dunlendings were driven from Rohan."

Eruanna shook her head. She never understood why Elrohir and Elladan troubled themselves with mortal affairs. "Why do they involve themselves in the wars of men?"

Glorfindel closed his eyes. It was the same question he'd asked himself for millennia, first with Elrond and later, his sons. "They may have been raised as elves, but the Lords of Imladris have never forgotten their mortal heritage. While the elves may turn away from mortal suffering, Elladan and Elrohir can not. In that, they are much like their father."

Eruanna tried to empathize but with limited success. At least their mortal ancestors had been noble, worthy of regard, but Eruanna could not imagine that such was the case for the vast majority of men. "There are many books in Elrond's library but I have never read…that is…I do not care to read the books concerning men."

Glorfindel knew he'd touched upon a tender subject. He'd not meant to darken her mood further but did not think it right for Eruanna to think ill of an entire race, a race of which she was a part. "Men are a complicated race, far more so than the Eldar. They are capable of acts of great evil _and_ great courage."

"I don't know about courage," Eruanna muttered.

A long silence fell between them in which Glorfindel sought a change of subject. He noted the sparkling jewel hanging around Eruanna's neck. Her fingers caressed its edges. "It is beautiful," Glorfindel nodded toward her hand.

Eruanna's hand clutched absently at the jewel. She took a deep, steadying breath.

Glorfindel studied Eruanna carefully. He was no fool. If it had been only Eruanna acting despondently, he would have considered it merely a response to parting with new found friends. It was not her behavior that suggested something was amiss…it was the unusually reserved behavior of the twins that alerted him to trouble. Glorfindel did not like to be kept out of the loop. "I have missed something," he left the comment open to reply. When none was forthcoming, he pressed Eruanna gently. "Who gave you the jewel?"

"Rumil," Eruanna whispered.

_Rumil?_ There was only one Rumil in Lórien with whom Glorfindel was familiar, "Haldir's brother?"

"Yes."

Glorfindel nodded absently, "I sparred with him once before." He tried to pull up that memory of the young warden, to size him up, so to speak, "He performed quite well during the initiate trials."

Eruanna smiled. She'd heard all about Rumil's trials under _the great_ Lord Glorfindel. "So I heard."

Eruanna's voice held a hint a humor that was not lost on Glorfindel, "Meaning?"

"Meaning Rumil told me about his initiate trials. He recalled your portion of the exercises…vividly." Eruanna made no attempt to suppress her laughter.

"I see," Glorfindel knew what that meant. He wasn't regarded as the greatest and _worst _combat instructor in all of Arda for nothing.

"He asked me to stay with him," Eruanna whispered, looking up into Glorfindel's surprised face.

The great Balrog Slayer was momentarily stunned into silence. Eruanna was too young, far too young to have ellyn vying for her affections. At least, this was his opinion on the matter. _What was Erestor thinking, permitting…? _Before Glorfindel could complete that particular thought, he was interrupted by an unexpected question.

"Have you ever been in love, Glorfindel?" Eruanna watched Glorfindel's face fall. His eyes grew distant, unfocused, and filled with a hidden sadness.

_Love?_ Glorfindel felt as if the air had been knocked out of him. It was such an innocent question, but felt like a knife in his chest. Yes…he'd known love…he'd come close enough to touch it, to feel its light on his face…but then Morgoth and the Balrog took it all away. But maybe when this was all over…when he returned to the White Shores…maybe….

Glorfidel pulled himself back to the present. Eruanna watched him now. He had to give her an answer…something, "I came close…once."

Eruanna knew immediately upon voicing her question that she'd awakened a painful memory. It was not her intent. _Why do I always ask the wrong questions?_ She placed a gentle hand on the ellon's arm, "I'm sorry."

Glorfindel shook his head, brushing aside her apology. It was unnecessary. He pulled Eruanna into a warm embrace, her head tucked beneath his chin. "You will see him again, little one, on this shore or the next."

Eruanna closed her eyes. She'd felt so lost and unsure these last few days. And yet, somehow, Glorfindel's gentle assurance calmed her troubled mind. If Glorfindel could wait, so could she….

* * *

Eruanna's mood lightened as they drew nearer to the borders of Imladris. She smiled at the thought of seeing her room, the library, the garden and of course, Lord Elrond. She was so lost in her own pleasant thoughts that she failed to notice two sets of eyes watching her intently.

"I believe that is the first smile I've seen since we left Lórien," Elladan chuckled lightly.

Eruanna turned and offered the young Lord a kind smile. "I just realized how much I've missed home… the sound of the falls, the taste of chef's cooking, the sound of Lindir singing deep into the night."

"Glorfindel waking you up before dawn for training exercises," Elrohir added wistfully.

"I heard that!" a voice called from the front of the company.

"Did you?" Elladan called back to the Seneschal, who gave the younger ellon a stern glare.

Eruanna was ready to defend her teacher. "I'll have you both know that I _have_ missed training with Glorfindel."

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow in Elladan's direction, waiting for the young Lord to challenge Eruanna's words. When no challenge was forthcoming, Glorfindel turned his attention back to the road.

"You are good," Elladan whispered quietly into Eruanna's ear.

"It's _always_ a good idea to stay on old Glorfindel's good side," Elrohir added drolly.

Arwen shook her head, having held her tongue during the brief exchange. "Strange how the two of you can't seem to follow that bit of advice."

Elrohir took his sister's arm in his, smiling broadly, "I said it was a good idea, not a rule to live by."

Eruanna had to suppress her laughter at Arwen's cross expression. The one she reserved only for her brothers. Eruanna turned to address Elrohir but something in his expression caused her to fall silent.

The party halted in its tracks and all fell silent. The wardens at the front and rear guard looked out into the surrounding wood. Eruanna could see nothing. She turned to Elrohir, "What's wrong?"

He lifted a hand to silence her, his eyes sweeping the treeline. "Eruanna," Elrohir whispered, "Draw your sword."

There was no humor in Elrohir's voice or eyes when he spoke these words. Eruanna looked to Arwen, who had silently drawn her own weapon, "Arwen?" The fear that was beginning to blossom in Eruanna's mind could be heard in her voice.

Arwen took a step toward her young charge, her voice low but firm. "Remember your training, Eruanna. I'll be at your side."

It began with a shriek. A sound so terrible it could only be matched by the sight of the creatures that followed it. Eruanna had never before seen an orc, but there was no need for anyone to tell her what it was that emerged from the wood.

The clashing of blades and feral growls drowned out the sound of Eruanna's beating heart. No amount of training had prepared her for the feel of her blade slicing through flesh and bone, for the spray of blood that fell across her face with each successful blow or the guttural cries of the creatures that fell beneath her blade.

Her blade arced once more through the air, striking an orc's throat with blinding precision. Her triumph caused the adrenaline to pump harder in her veins. It was the only thing that kept her from crying out when the dagger entered her shoulder.

She hadn't seen it coming. She was supposed to keep her back to the others but in the chaos, she'd turned aside. Eruanna fell to her knees. She could see the tip of the blade protruding from her shoulder. _It can't end like this._

A terrible shriek sounded from above her as the creature that stabbed her was run through.

"Eruanna!" Erestor drove his blade deep into the creature's chest, cutting it nearly in half as he did so.

"Erestor." She did not know when Erestor had made his way to her side. Had he been fighting alongside her the entire time? Eruanna collapsed onto her side. She watched in fascination as her gentle teacher took down one orc after another. Time fell away as she watched him. He was no longer Elrond's counselor, her teacher and _father_; he was the warrior that slew the elves at Sirion, who marched against the armies of Morgoth. It was a part of Erestor that he would never willingly allow her to see…but she saw him now. He was beautiful. They were all beautiful…dancing…light and shadow…blades singing….

Erestor fell to his knees at Eruanna's side. Her eyes were open but unfocused. "Eruanna, look at me child."

"Erestor," Eruanna's voice sounded strange in her ears, like she was three feet under water.

"I am here, child," he brushed the hair that had fallen across her face away. The orc blade stuck grotesquely from her back. He could not pull it out without knowing what damage doing so might cause. "Glorfindel!"

The yellow haired warrior appeared at his friend's side. His wardens were slaughtering the last of the orcs. He kneeled at Eruanna's side, barely suppressing the horror of seeing the child lying there with a blade in her back. He cut away the cloth with his own dagger. "The wound is not bad."

Eruanna's eye lids felt heavy. She had to close them. It was strange…she'd expected to feel pain, but all she felt was cold. Tendrils of ice inched out from the point where the blade entered her shoulder.

"Eruanna?" Erestor's voice rose in panic. "Eruanna…Eruanna…look at me. Keep your eyes open." Erestor looked up into his friend's face. The expression he found there made his blood run cold. Glorfindel held the blade he'd pulled from Eruanna's shoulder, his eyes wide in horror.

"Glorfindel?"

Glorfindel's eyes flew swiftly from the blade to his friend. "The blade…it is poisoned."

"No." Erestor thought he could feel his heart ripped from his chest at those terrible words.

Glorfindel was on his feet in an instant. He whistled for his horse that fled to safety when the orcs attacked. "Bregolien!" the seconds felt like an eternity but at last the horse returned to its master. It understood well the urgency in his tone. Glorfindel swung himself onto the saddle, "Erestor, hand her up to me."

Erestor could not hear Glorfindel's command, so possessed he was by the horror of Eruanna's injury.

"Erestor!" Glorfindel yelled. There was no time for this.

The urgency in his voice was heard by another. Elrohir emerged from the wood where he and his brother had pursued the fleeing orcs. His eyes fell on Eruanna. "No."

"Give her to me!" Glorfindel commanded the young Lord.

Without question, Elrohir swept Eruanna into his arms, handing her up to Glorfindel. Clutching tightly onto the Seneschal's arm he gave the ellon his own command. "Get her to adar."

Glorfindel nodded sharply, before urging his steed forward, "Noro lim, Bregolien!" The horse sprang into motion, kicking up a cloud of dust as it raced toward home.


	33. Wounds

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 33 – Wounds**

**Third Age 2805**

Glorfindel reached the borders of Imladris as fast as his steed could carry them and passed into the realm unhindered. Bregolien, sensing the urgency of his task, chose the swiftest path. He slowed only upon reaching the steep descent into the valley.

When they reached the main courtyard Glorfindel dismounted in one graceful motion, Eruanna cradled securely in his arms. Her eyes were closed as they had been for nearly the entire journey. Glorfindel ran up the steps and headed in the direction of the healing ward.

He passed a pair of ellyn in the hall. Their eyes widened at the sight of the Lord and the elleth he carried.

"Fetch Lord Elrond," he commanded them. "Have him meet me in the healing rooms." The ellyn went in opposite directions in search of their Lord. Glorfindel continued onward. He kicked the door to the healing ward open, calling out to the Chief Healer as he did, "Istuion!"

"Lord Glorfindel," Istuion's irritation at the Lord's abrupt entry vanished upon seeing the cause of Glorfindel's rudeness. "Eruanna?" the healer recognized the child's delicate features as her hair fell away from her face. He gestured to a small cot in the center of the room. "Set her down here."

Istuion helped Glorfindel lower the elleth onto the bed so he could have a look at her injury. There was a great deal of blood soaked through the back of her dress. Istuion withdrew a sharp blade from his robe and began cutting away the soiled cloth. "What happened?"

Glorfindel stood watching the healer gently remove the ruined dress. "We were ambushed just south of the border. She has a stab wound to her right shoulder. The blade was poisoned."

Glorfindel turned slightly toward the door. Elrond's footsteps could be heard as he rushed hurriedly down the hall.

Elrond entered the room and his eyes widened at the sight laid out before him. For the smallest fraction of a second he thought it was Arwen lying on that cot, but the elleth's hair was too light and her skin held more color. Relief washed over him, but it did not last. There was only one other elleth traveling with Glorfindel. He strode swiftly across the room. Istuion moved aside to give his Lord a better view of the injury.

Elrond studied the stab wound, noting the odd discoloration creeping out from its center. His head rose and he shot Glorfindel a question, "Poison?"

The Seneschal nodded.

"The wound continues to bleed," Istuion added gravely. "The poison may contain an anticoagulant."

Elrond stood and disappeared into the adjoining room. Istuion followed close behind. The pair returned with a cart of medical supplies began tending to her wound.

Glorfindel could do nothing but watch.

"Will more injured be arriving?" Istuion asked him.

"I don't know," Glorfindel was ashamed to admit. "I believe everyone was accounted for when I rode away, but there may be others who require treatment."

"Very well," Elrond addressed Istuion, "summon Caladwen and Bellasiel. We may need assistance." Istuion handed Elrond a drawing salve for Eruanna's wound and departed to carry out his Lord's command. Elrond shifted his gaze to his Seneschal. He was covered in orc gore, but appeared uninjured. "Go clean yourself up Glorfindel. You can do nothing more here."

It was an order and Glorfindel knew better than to argue with Elrond when he was with a patient. "I will send riders out to escort the others home."

Elrond nodded dismissively, returning his attention to Eruanna.

Glorfindel left the healing rooms to find his lieutenant awaiting orders. He gave Authion the location of the others. The warden assured Glorfindel that he would find Lady Arwen's company and see them back to Imladris safely.

Once Authion and the others were on their way, Glorfindel headed wearily to his chambers. He bathed as quickly as the water and grime permitted. After dressing in a set of clean robes, he returned to the healing ward. He was not permitted to enter, however, being informed by Caladwen that he was in the way. She ordered him to wait out in the hall. Elrond's lips curled into a smile as the great warrior was ousted by the young healer.

Glorfindel reluctantly obeyed the elleth's command and found himself pacing outside the door. He eventually settled down on a window seat to await news. His gaze drifted to the east. The hour grew late and his thoughts returned to the elves he'd left behind. No others had fallen during the battle, but he worried now that he'd departed before the fighting was done. Perhaps there were more that needed aid. He wished to hear word of the others. He did not have to wait long.

"How is she?" Arwen's voice startled him out of reverie.

Glorfindel stood abruptly as the Lady glided down the hall toward him. Erestor followed along with two wardens carrying a third with an injured leg. Glorfindel watched the trio disappear into the ward. He retuned his attention to Arwen. "Your father is with her still."

Glorfindel looked back down the hall, realizing that someone or ones were missing. "Where are your brothers?" He'd thought they too would come to check on Eruanna.

Arwen frowned. "They wished to be sure no orcs remained in hiding near the border road. They said they would return when the wood was safe."

Arwen sighed. _The wood will never be safe._ And her brothers would always have reason to ride away. The Lady pushed away those thoughts. She did not have time to worry about her brothers now. "Can we?" she asked Glorfindel, gesturing toward the door.

Glorfindel looked down at Arwen's bloodstained clothes. It would not due for Elrond to see her in such a state. "I would not, if I were you." He gave the Lady a meaningful look. "I think it would be better if you find a bath and a change of clothes first."

Arwen looked down at her blood stained clothes. She was a mess. "I see your point." Arwen lifted her eyes back to Glorfindel to find she was no longer the object of the ellon's attention.

Glorfindel had his eye on Erestor. The ellon stood outside the door leading to the healing ward, peering through the cracked door.

Arwen followed Glorfindel's line of vision. The concern in Glorfindel's eyes could be found in hers as well. Something was wrong with Erestor. He'd not spoken a word since Glorfindel carried Eruanna away.

Glorfindel placed a reassuring hand on Arwen's arm and motioned for her to go.

Arwen cast one last look in Erestor's direction before departing.

Glorfindel waited until Arwen was out of sight before approaching his friend. "Erestor," he placed a hand on the ellon's shoulder. The counselor's muscles spasmed at the unexpected contact.

Glorfindel followed Erestor's gaze through the cracked door. Elrond and Bellasiel were wrapping Eruanna's shoulder while Istuion and Caladwen cared for the injured warden. Glorfindel shifted position to get a better look at Erestor's face. He looked lost, like a child abandoned in a dark wood.

Glorfindel pulled his friend away from the door. "Come, you don't want her to see you like this, do you?" The counselor was a bloody mess, more so even than Glorfindel had been.

Erestor said nothing but allowed himself to be led away from the healing ward. They reached his room, left untouched for more than a hundred years. It would have pleased Erestor, under normal circumstances, but for the moment, he took no notice of his surroundings. Erestor found himself drawn to the window overlooking the garden and stared out at the setting sun.

Glorfindel monitored Erestor's behavior with growing concern. Not knowing what to do or say for the moment, he entered Erestor's private bath and filled the tub with water. He reemerged several minutes later to find the counselor still staring absently out the window.

"Your bath is ready…"

Erestor said nothing.

Glorfindel waited a moment before adding, "Do you need help?" When Erestor failed to respond, Glorfindel lifted a hand to remove his friend's cloak. The Seneschal braced for the fist he half expected to knock him away, but Erestor stood doll-like and unresponsive. _This is definitely not good._ _I need to get him talking, but talking about what?_

"When was the last time you visited the training fields, Erestor?" Glorfindel knew the answer, the exact date, in fact, but he could not think of anything else to say.

Erestor sighed; the first sign since his arrival that he could hear Glorfindel. His voice was quiet and sounded quite unused. "Many years ago, long before Eruanna came to us."

Glorfindel breathed a quiet sigh of relief at the sound of his friend's voice. It had been more than three hundred years, a long time ago indeed. _Impressed_ was not a strong enough word to describe Glorfindel's thoughts on the matter. Few could have handled themselves as well, so long out of practice. "None would have known it had they seen you today."

Erestor shuddered at his friend's well-meaning compliment.

The Seneschal did not miss his friend's involuntary response; it was not what one might have expected in answer to praise.

Glorfindel placed his friend's soiled cloak on the ground near the hearth. When Erestor made no effort to unfasten his tunic, Glorfindel once again moved to assist him, ever watchful for some sign his help was not wanted. Erestor had fallen silent once more, his eyes troubled.

It was more than disturbing. The fragile ellon that Glorfindel helped undress was a far cry from the one he'd seen not hours earlier. Glorfindel's eyes flew to Erestor more than once during their battle with the orcs. It was the cool precision of the counselor's blows that caught his eye. All the years Erestor spent striving to become the gentle, wise scholar could not destroy the warrior within.

It was a piece Erestor tried to bury deep inside… and he buried it well, perhaps too well.

It had become a game the House of Elrond played, a running joke among the wardens. They told stories about Erestor, stories passed down through the ages. Trouble was, none living in Imladris remembered those days, and so the young ones saw it as farce. Most were incapable of believing Lord Erestor had ever have been other than he was now, and so they laughed.

Glorfindel doubted the young ones who'd seen Erestor in action today would ever laugh again.

Glorfindel knew the truth about Erestor's past but still there was something that troubled him. He'd sparred with Erestor several times over the last millennium. The ellon that fought in those contests was Lord Erestor, the scholar and teacher, the counselor of Imladris, and he _always_ lost. Glorfindel was not so sure he could defeat the Erestor he saw today.

It felt like he did not know his friend at all.

Glorfindel finished unfastening the final clasp of Erestor's outer tunic and slid the garment off his shoulders. He voiced a thought, more to himself than to his companion. "I should like the chance to spar with the warrior I saw today."

"No!"

The force of that single word would have made any other ellon step back. Glorfindel bristled slightly, the only sign he'd been surprised by the harsh reply. He tossed Erestor's tunic atop the ruined cloak before turning back to his friend. Glorfindel did not know what to make of his fierce response, "Why not?"

_Why?_ Erestor shook his head, unable to form a reasonable, coherent response. "I…I can't."

Glorfindel moved to block his friend's view of the garden, for the first time forcing Erestor to meet his eyes. What he saw in their depths did not surprise him. Glorfindel had seen that haunted look in the eyes of many elves, the ancient ones who'd witnessed too much. Erestor tried to forget, to leave the past behind, but the darkness always returned. In the 7,000 years since the Noldor returned to Middle Earth, not a day passed when they were not prepared for war. One could only escape the violence of Middle Earth for so long.

_For so long_…_how long?_

Glorfindel had no idea when Erestor last saw battle. It was before his return to Middle Earth, Glorfindel was sure of that, but how long before? "Do you remember how long it has been since you've fought the enemy?"

Erestor closed his eyes. _Do I remember?_ He would have laughed if the memories were not so terrible. "Lindon, a border skirmish at the beginning of the Second Age."

_5,000 years?_ Glorfindel nearly choked on that number. "A very long time," he whispered. Glorfindel could not fathom how Erestor had managed to avoid killing for so long.

Erestor opened his eyes to find a myriad of emotions crossing his companion's face. He could feel the ellon's shock and disbelief wash over him in waves. For a moment, he thought Glorfindel might think him a coward, but cowardice and lack of skill were not the reasons Erestor turned his back on war. He was not ready to admit the true reason, to himself, or anyone else. "I found my books and peace and tried to forget. It appears I have not succeeded."

In those words some of the mystery surrounding Erestor began to unfold. There was a question Glorfindel wished to ask him, something which he'd always found curious. "Is that why you do not travel, even at others' request?"

Erestor looked away. He made no reply, but in the silence was his answer. Glorfindel understood. Travel was dangerous. It meant carrying a weapon. It meant killing and Erestor would rather stay in the same city for millennia than be forced to kill again.

It was not cowardice, Glorfindel was sure of that, but he didn't think Erestor was ready to share the reason he'd laid down his sword.

Glorfindel leaned against the window frame. _If Erestor won't travel even at the request of the Lords of the Eldar…_, "Then why did you make the journey to Lórien?"

Erestor's eyes grew wide. He was certain Glorfindel knew the answer to that question, but perhaps he'd been mistaken. "I could not let her travel alone," he replied.

Glorfindel smiled gently, knowing the '_her_' in question was not Lady Arwen. "Well, your bath is getting cold. Do you think you can manage from here?"

Erestor lifted a hand to find his first two layers of clothing missing. He cast his gaze around in confusion to find the soiled garments in a pile on the floor. His neck flushed from embarrassment and he offered his friend an apologetic smile, "Yes, I'll be fine."

Glorfindel was no healer, but he was certain Erestor was _not_ fine. He did, however, seem capable of bathing on his own. Glorfindel nodded and turned to leave Erestor in peace. As he reached for the doorknob he heard a quiet voice call his name.

"Glorfindel," Erestor paused, unsure of what it was he wanted to say. Too many thoughts, memories and fears wished to be set free, but he was not ready to share them with another. There were only two words appropriate for a moment such as this and they were spoken with deepest sincerity, "thank you."

Glorfindel accepted Erestor's gratitude with a nod before closing the door behind him.

He headed back to the healing rooms but his thoughts remained with Erestor.

He knew that men had a saying, 'time heals all wounds', but no mortal could fathom a life extending for ages beyond their own, lives filled with more grief and despair than any man would ever know. No, it was possible to live for millennia with wounds buried deep, so deep as to be forgotten. It was only in those rare moments, when one let down his guard, that a sharp pain could be felt, a reminder of the secrets buried within.

Healing only came from confronting the demons that haunted you, and even then, peace was not a guarantee. _How many nights have I awakened to the smell of my own flesh burning? _At least those who died had opportunity to heal in Namo's Halls. Those who lived were given only the pain of eternal memory, and Erestor buried his deep within.

_Perhaps one day you will find the strength to bare these secrets, my friend, and heal your fractured fëa._


	34. No lies

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 34 – No lies**

**Third Age 2805**

Erestor pushed the door open slowly. He was prepared to be ordered out by Caladwen or one of the other healers.

He was in luck. The ward was empty, save for Elrond and his patient.

The Lord of Imladris was seated on the edge of Eruanna's bed, her right hand cradled gently in his. Elrond appeared to be staring down at the injured elleth but his eyes seemed to look right through her. His face was a calm mask, a veil he wore to shield his thoughts from others.

The mask faltered momentarily as his eyes flew to the door. An emotion that Erestor could not identify flashed in Elrond's eyes. It faded quickly and was forgotten as a heartfelt smile spread across the Lord's face; he'd been awaiting Erestor for some time. Elrond beckoned for the ellon to enter.

Erestor approached Eruanna's bed and as he drew nearer he could see that her eyes were closed, her skin paler than the bed's ivory linens. "How is she?" his voice trembled, sounding the depths of his concern.

Elrond would never lie to Erestor; the ellon had a talent for seeing through deception. "She lost a great deal of blood. The poison on the blade prevented clotting."

Erestor opened his mouth, a thousand worried questions ready to be spoken, but Elrond raised a hand to silence him.

"Istuion and I were able to draw out most of the poison and stop the bleeding." This bit of information quieted Erestor some, but Elrond could sense that he was not completely put at ease. He tuned back to his patient. "It is up to Eruanna now. She must do the rest."

Erestor took several steps nearer to Eruanna's bedside. Leaning down, he placed a hand on her forehead. Her face and hair were soaked with sweat. "She has a fever."

Elrond heard the fear in that statement. He did his best to dispel it. "The fever will drive the poison from her blood." Elrond watched his friend carefully; his former words did not ease the tension in Erestor's shoulders. He tried again. "Eruanna is a blending of the First and Second born. Her body is stronger than a man's and her spirit unyielding. She will pull through."

Erestor shifted his gaze so that he met his Lord's eyes; there was naught but sincerity in Elrond's face. The healer's calm surety should have comforted him, but another truth, more powerful than Elrond's sincerity, gnawed at his heart.

_Elrond has been wrong before._

Erestor looked on as Elrond dipped a small towel in a bowl of water on the nightstand. He wrung the towel out before placing the cloth on Eruanna's forehead.

The elleth's eyes remained closed but a quiet whimper escaped her lips. It was a word, spoken so softly, Erestor was not certain she'd said anything at all.

"Ada."

The fever had invaded her dreams and Eruanna became restless. She cried out again, louder than before, and there was no mistaking her now, "ada." The word echoed eerily off the walls.

For the second time this day Erestor's logical mind was overwhelmed with emotion.

_Why would she call for him?_ His thoughts cried out in confusion.

Perhaps if Erestor had been thinking more clearly, he would not have made such a foolish mistake.

Elrond could see the hurt and confusion etched across his friend's face at the sound of Eruanna's voice.

_He does not understand._

"She calls for you, my friend," Elrond's voice was gentle. He knew Erestor would see this if it were not for his troubled mental state. "She has been calling for you ever since she arrived."

Erestor's eyes widened slightly. He tried to suppress his disbelief, not wishing to appear the fool in front of Elrond.

_Of course she calls for me. Who else has been as a father to her? _

Still, the sound of the child crying out to him with _that word_ shook him to his very core. Erestor's heart already claimed Eruanna as his daughter but he had never asked if she felt the same.

_Perhaps she has wished to call me father, but was afraid to ask. Does she think I would push her away, refuse to let her that close? _

_It would not be the first time_, a small voice reminded him.

Anger at his own weakness threatened to overwhelm him. Erestor knew he pushed others away. He'd done so not an hour ago when Glorfindel attempted to reach out, to close the distance between them.

_And you will do it again._

Elrond watched as wave after wave of conflicting emotions passed over his companion's face. It was clearly a battle, but Elrond had no way of knowing what enemy his friend faced.

With the grace of many ages, Elrond rose from his place at Eruanna's side. He drew Erestor back to the world with words, "Come and take my place."

Erestor nodded his assent. Taking Elrond's place at Eruanna's bedside, he reached out and took her hand. "I am here my child. I am here," he answered her.

Eruanna quieted some at the sound of Erestor's voice and she stilled once more.

Erestor leaned down and placed a kiss on Eruanna's forehead. In a voice so low, not even Elrond could hear, he whispered, "I won't leave you, child, not ever." It was a promise, one Erestor swore in his heart would never be broken.

Erestor straightened himself up, having momentarily forgotten Elrond's presence. He glanced nervously around the room and for the first time noticed the ellon asleep in a cot in the far corner. He addressed Elrond. "What of the warden?"

Elrond instantly transformed into the House's healer and gave Erestor his report. "The bones in his leg were broken in several places. It will be some time before he'll be well enough to return to Lórien."

Erestor nodded, it could have been much worse, for all of them. Erestor returned his attention to Eruanna. He'd seen the orc, watched the blade hit its mark. He'd been too far away, to slow to do anything but watch in horror. The horror did not last, it was replaced by fury. The rage moved him. He blocked the orc's killing blow and then….

Elrond was not blind to the haunted look in Erestor's eyes and the healer in him made an attempt to discover its cause. "How are _you_, my friend?"

Erestor shook his head, responding with a warning, "Do not ask me that question."

Elrond bristled at his friend's harsh tone. Erestor rarely refused his Lord an answer and never in such a brusque manner. "Why? It is my duty. I am a healer after all."

Erestor breathed a tired sigh. _I do not have the strength for this now. _"Because I have no wish to lie to you," the counselor replied, praying Elrond would let the matter rest.

"Erestor," the Lord of Imladris laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Don't," the counselor hissed.

Elrond withdrew his arm instinctively at the deadly force in that one word. He could see Erestor's pain emanating like waves on a normally tranquil pool. Erestor, as he'd always been… an unfathomable pool of secrets; its surface seldom disturbed.

_What stone caused these ripples?_

Elrond knew he could not deal with Erestor now. The counselor was not ready and nor was Elrond. A wave of fatigue swept over the Lord on Imladris, reminding him that it had been many days since he was able to sleep, anxious as he was for his daughter's return. Healing Eruanna and the Lórien warden drained the last of his energies. If Erestor did not wish to speak of what troubled him, there was little Elrond could do at this time. "Stay with her as long as you wish. I will have your dinner brought here."

Erestor nodded in silent reply but his eyes remained averted. His behavior toward his long time friend and Lord was shameful, but he did not have the will or strength to apologize. He waited for the sound of the door and Elrond's steps retreating down the hall before allowing frustrated tears permission to fall.


	35. Only truth

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 35 – Only truth**

Eruanna's eyes fluttered open. She felt terrible, her body ached and her limbs felt like lead. Her tired mind tried to remember why she felt like a she'd taken a fall off a cliff.

_Where am I?_

Eruanna struggled to lift her head and get a better look at her surroundings. She was home, in one of the healing rooms but could not recall how she'd gotten there.

"You're awake."

An oddly familiar voice drew her eyes to the far corner of the room. An ellon sat propped up by pillows, reading. His leg wrapped and cradled between two splints.

"Nessimon," Eruanna knew now why the voice didn't fit. She'd not been expecting to hear a Lórien warden addressing her in Elrond's house. Nessimon was one of Rumil's friends and a member of his border company. "Are you alright? What happened?" Concern for the warden's injuries was the first thing that sprang to her tired mind.

The warden was unable to answer her through a sudden fit of laughter.

The warden's unexpected laughter chased her concern away. "What is so funny?"

"Forgive me, my Lady." The ellon shook his head, trying desperately to restrain his humor. "I am quite well, but for my leg. I only laugh because I had not imagined you would ask after me. It is _you_ we were all worried about. You were asleep for three days."

Eruanna fell silent; had she lost that much time? She tried to lift herself into a more erect position so she could address Nessimon properly. Her shoulder screamed in protest and she found herself once again lying flat on her back.

The warden did not miss Eruanna's pained cry. He reached for the crutches the healers provided for him. "Do not move Eruanna. Your wound will reopen if there is too much movement. I will find Lord Istuion. He has a numbing salve that works wonders."

Eruanna ventured another question before Nessimon could swing his legs off the bed. "What about the others?"

Nessimon smiled at her question. He'd been waiting for this one. "Everyone else escaped unscathed. It seems we were the only ones foolish enough to sustain injuries." As soon as the words passed his lips, Nessimon wished he could take them back.

Eruanna closed her eyes. Foolish did not begin to describe how she felt. Her thoughts flew to Glorfindel. _He will be so disappointed._ She could hear Nessimon moving slowly across the room. The bed beside her creaked as the warden lowered himself into a seated position.

"I did not mean to call you a fool," Nessimon said softly.

Eruanna smiled at the warden's unnecessary apology. "You called yourself a fool as well," she reminded him.

"So I did," Nessimon conceded. He looked over at the injured elleth. He'd kept his eye on her during their journey at Rumil's request. When the battle started, he tried to reach her side; it was not possible. Her skill and precision with a blade was impressive, more so than he thought possible for a female peredhel. "You fought well Eruanna," he paused, "considering…"

Eruanna would not allow him to leave that thought unfinished. "Considering what?"

Nessimon grinned before offering his answer, "Considering Rumil's _alternative_ training techniques."

Eruanna's jaw opened slightly at the warden's indelicate joke. Rumil's clever little sweep that the twins witnessed had become a source of great amusement among the wardens. Elladan and Elrohir found it just revenge for his taking advantage of their 'little sister'.

Eruanna shot Nessimon a dangerous look, one he found quite amusing coming from the fragile looking elleth.

The humor drained from Nessimon's eyes, and his tone turned serious, "I will have to tell Rumil what happened. He will throttle me if he discovers I kept this from him."

Eruanna would not ask Nessimon to keep the events of their journey from his friend and commander. "When do you return to Lórien?"

"As soon as Lord Elrond deems me fit to travel," he answered.

Nessimon did not sound too pleased. Eruanna understood his desire to return to his home and loved ones. "Will you take a letter to Rumil for me? I don't want him to worry."

"Of course," the warden rose as gracefully as his injury would allow. "Now, I shall find Istuion."

Eruanna smiled in thanks, silently hoping the warden would find Istuion quickly. Her shoulder really did hurt.

* * *

Erestor dropped the scroll he was reading before the young healer could finish her sentence. He rushed past her into the hall and practically ran to the Healing Ward, ignoring the odd looks he received from the ellyn he passed in the halls. They were irrelevant. He reached the door and made no attempt to knock before entering.

Eruanna turned as the door to the ward swung open, "Erestor!" Eruanna smiled broadly.

Erestor's heart swelled at the sight of his child awake and smiling. He took his usual seat at her bedside. "I came as soon as I heard you were awake."

Eruanna's laughed, "Istuion told me he threw you out." The old healer informed her of Erestor's refusal to leave her side. Istuion finally grew tired of the counselor and ordered him to return to his own quarters. Erestor reluctantly obeyed, but under the sole condition that a healer inform him the moment Eruanna opened her eyes.

A sheepish grin spread across Erestor's face. "I was only trying to be helpful."

"You don't take kindly to others interfering with your work," she admonished.

"Too true," Erestor conceded. He quickly scanned Eruanna's face. She did not look her best, but her color was healthier and some of her strength had returned.

Eruanna squirmed under Erestor's careful scrutiny. She shifted uncomfortably, her shoulder aching as she did.

"How is your shoulder?" Erestor noticed a small cringe when she shifted in her seat.

"It hurts less than I imagined it would. Istuion gave me something for the pain," Eruanna replied.

Erestor took Eruanna's hand in his. Istuion assured him the shoulder would heal, as did Elrond. One healer he was bound to question, but two were far more reassuring. "You are very lucky, Eruanna. The wound will heal and you will be well again."

"Luck?" Eruanna searched Erestor's eyes. _He calls it luck?_ "It was not luck, Erestor, it was you. You killed him."

Erestor's mind shuttered at these words and he found himself unable to speak.

"Erestor," Eruanna placed a hand on the ellon's arm.

Erestor's head rose in answer, "Yes child?"

Eruanna hesitated before she posed the question that had formed at the very moment she saw Erestor cut down her attacker. "I was wondering… why did Glorfindel train me, instead of you?"

"Glorfindel is the greatest warrior in the realm." Erestor responded absently.

Eruanna studied Erestor face carefully. His answer hurt her more than any orc blade ever could. "You said you would never lie to me," she whispered.

"Lord Erestor," Erestor was saved a reply by the arrival of Elrond's page. He stood in the doorway, bowing deeply to both Erestor and Eruanna. "Lord Elrond requires your presence in his study."

Erestor nodded in response to the ellon's message, "Tell him I will be with him presently."

The aide nodded respectfully and departed to relay the message to his Lord.

"I will return when I can." Erestor turned away from Eruanna, keenly aware of the question he left unanswered.

* * *

A quiet knock drew Eruanna's attention to the door.

"Glorfindel," Eruanna's voice trembled with nervous anticipation. One after another her loved ones had come to see how she fared. She'd wondered when Glorfindel would make his way to see her. She was quite nervous for what he might say. After all his years of training, she nearly died in her very first battle. Nessimon assured her she'd fought well, as did Arwen, but it was Glorfindel's judgment she feared most.

Glorfindel's smile brightened at the sight of Eruanna awake and looking much improved. "Ah, my brave warrior, finally awake I see."

The sincerity in those opening words did a lot to quell her fears. Still, they did not disappear entirely. "I don't know about brave."

Glorfindel took a seat in the chair beside Eruanna's bed. He fixed her with his very best 'teacher' gaze. Arwen warned him of her concern that she'd disappointed him. He wished to assure his student at the outset that her concern was unfounded. "You fought well, Eruanna. I am proud of you."

Eruanna looked down at her hands. She had already appraised her performance and knew her mistake. She would take responsibility for it. "I turned my back on the enemy and nearly died for my mistake."

Glorfindel nodded. It was the truth and he would not coddle Eruanna by denying it. Still, he knew from experience that sparing on training fields and fighting in battle were two very different things.

Even the most experienced warriors made mistakes.

The thought made Glorfindel laugh. "Well in that case, I have one up on you, seeing as I have already died once in battle."

Eruanna's jaw fell opened. She'd forgotten about that…but still, Glorfindel died fighting a Balrog, not a common orc.

The expression on Eruanna's face was priceless. He hoped the little reminder of his own death was enough to lay the matter to rest. _Now for more important matters...,_ "Elrond and Istuion say you will heal quickly, so long as you continue to rest. Once you've healed, we will have to work on strengthening your shoulder." He reached down into his tunic pocket and withdrew a medium sized book. "Until then, here," he handed the book over to Eruanna.

Eruanna turned the book over in her hands before returning her attention to Glorfindel. "What is this?"

"It is a book, what else," came his playful reply.

"I realize that." Eruanna countered with an equal level of sarcasm. It was unusual for Glorfindel to force reading upon her. "What is the subject?"

"It is a story of great courage," he proclaimed, in a voice that could not be challenged.

Eruanna shot Glorfindel a skeptical look, "And how would _you_ know that?"

"I feature prominently in it, of course," was his earnest reply.

"Of course," Eruanna rolled her eyes, forcing herself not to laugh as she did so. She opened the tome to browse its content.

"It is a history of the fall of Angmar," Glorfindel explained.

"It's written in Westron!" surprise was evident in Eruanna's raised voice. She traced the script with her fingers. She could read Westron of course; Erestor would not have permitted such ignorance in any of his students. It was only that she rarely had the opportunity to make use of that knowledge.

"It _is_ a Gondorian story," he reminded her, "a tale of men, well, _mostly_ men."

"Yes, yes, you _feature prominently in it_, I know," she mocked him gently.

Glorfindel smiled broadly. He had not forgotten their conversation about men, or her feelings about them. He hoped this tale would help Eruanna see the good in men, and the good in that part of her that belonged to the Secondborn. "It will give you something to do while Istuion has you cooped up in here."

Eruanna was not blind to the significance of this gift any more than Glorfindel just happened to choose it for her. His thoughtfulness and concern warmed her heart. "Thank you, Glorfindel." She looked back down at the book. She was too tired to begin reading now, her mind occupied with other thoughts.

The conversation she'd had with Erestor before he was called away would not leave her mind. It reminded her of another conversation, one she'd had with Glorfindel long ago, something he once told her…

_If there is one thing Erestor is incapable of…it's lying. _

Glorfindel watched as Eruanna became lost in her own thoughts. Her face fell and a great sadness filled her eyes. "Why the long face?" he asked her.

Eruanna considered the question awhile before answering. "You were right," she concluded.

"And this is a cause for sadness?" The joke did not work, for no smile appeared on Eruanna's face. "Tell me, what was I right about?"

"Erestor _is_ incapable of lying." The words came out softly, sadly, as if she were betraying both herself and Erestor by speaking them aloud.

Glorfindel should have seen this coming. Eruanna was certain to see the change in Erestor when she awoke. Whatever lie came out of Erestor's mouth it appeared to hurt her deeply. "What happened?"

Eruanna had to force back the guilt she felt at sharing this conversation with Glorfindel. "I asked him why _he_ didn't teach me to fight."

Glorfindel nodded, he knew where this was going. "And his answer?"

Eruanna looked up at Glorfindel, "He said you are the greatest warrior in the realm."

Glorfindel looked down at his hands. Of course that is what he would say. He looked up into the child's eyes, the pain he saw there worried him and he tried to lighten the mood. "Not exactly a lie," he said wryly.

"But nor was it the truth," she replied ardently.

"No," he conceded, "not the whole truth."

Glorfindel leaned forward and placed a comforting hand on the elleth's good shoulder. "Do not worry yourself over Erestor. I will take care of him."

Perhaps it was the odd way in which Glorfindel spoke those last words that worried her, "How?"

Glorfindel's lips curled into a mischievous smile. _How indeed?_ He wanted to tell her, but somehow he had the feeling this particular battle plan was best kept secret until it was ready to be unveiled. "I'm afraid if I tell you my plan, you will not like it."

"Why wouldn't I?" _Surely anything Glorfindel could do to help Erestor would meet with my approval. _

Glorfindel sighed. What answer could he give her? There was only one that came to mind. "Sometimes a bone must be broken again, if it is to be properly set." It was a vague response, but the best he could give her. Eruanna's eyes filled with concern and the sight pained him. She loved Erestor and did not wish to see him hurt. Glorfindel understood, but the voices that echoed her concern were drowned out by others urging him to act. He stood and headed for the door. A quiet voice called him back before he reached the threshold.

"Glorfindel."

He halted at the sound of her voice but did not look back. "Yes."

"Good luck."

Glorfindel smiled; it was all the encouragement he required.


	36. Facing down the demons

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

_This is the longest chapter I've written. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 36 – Facing down the demons**

**Third Age 2805**

Erestor awoke to the sound of urgent pounding on his door. It was not yet dawn and there were few that would dare disturb him at this hour. He rose from bed, pulling on a robe before making his way to the door. Glorfindel waited impatiently on the other side, his fist raised to knock once more on the door. The Seneschal was already dressed and he spoke without preamble.

"Erestor, you must come. It is urgent." Glorfindel used his best commanding tone, the one few ellyn would question.

Erestor's thoughts came quickly into focus at his friend's urgency. "Is it Eruanna?" She had been well when he brought her dinner, could something have changed in the last few hours?

"No," Glorfindel responded quickly. "Dress quickly," he commanded, offering no explanation.

Erestor was not deaf to his friend's urgency but the knowledge that Eruanna was not in any danger calmed him greatly. He turned back into his chamber and dressed quickly in a light tunic and cloak. Glorfindel was pacing nervously in the hall when the counselor emerged. Glorfindel looked up at his friend's arrival and without a word turned on his heels and headed down the corridor.

Erestor hurried to catch up with the frazzled warden. It was not like Glorfindel to be this outwardly distressed _or_ uninformative. "Have you roused Elrond?" he asked at last, wondering if the urgent matter that pulled him out of bed so abruptly was known by their Lord.

Glorfindel shook his head sharply. "Not yet, I did not want to disturb him. He needs rest." It was an easy lie. The Lord of Imladris was worn out and he did need rest but that was not the reason Glorfindel left him out of this little plan.

Erestor knew that much was indeed true. He'd noted the dark circles beneath Elrond's eyes when they first arrived in Imladris. The Lord was worried for Arwen's safety and appeared to have gotten little rest in the days prior to their arrival. Erestor's thoughts wandered while he followed Glorfindel out of the house and down one of the long paths leading down into the valley.

"Where are we going?" Erestor had yet to learn what this urgent matter was about. If he'd known they would be going hiking, he'd have worn better shoes.

"You will see." Glorfindel called over his shoulder.

A few more minutes and they arrived at their destination. It was one of the training areas used by Glorfindel's wardens. The small glade was deserted but the morning sun's rays began to peak over the hillside and brighten the surrounding wood.

Erestor took a look around. Nothing was out of place and he saw no reason for Glorfindel to have dragged him out here. "Why are we here?" he demanded in a somewhat irritated tone of voice.

"Sparring practice," Glorfindel responded quite casually, as if Erestor should have known this all along.

Erestor's eyes hardened and he fixed his companion with a sharp look. _So that is what this is all about. _"I don't have time for this." Erestor took several steps in the direction of the house only to find the Seneschal blocking his path.

"Where do you think you're going?" Glorfindel stood between Erestor and his escape route.

"I have work to do, Glorfindel," he growled, unable or unwilling to keep the anger at his friend's deception from his words.

Glorfindel considered Erestor's answer for only a moment before brushing it aside. "They have carried on without you for a century. Work can wait."

"_Move_," Erestor's patience was wearing thin. He cared little for Glorfindel's childish attempt at coercion.

Glorfindel was actually quite amused by the counselor's aggressive posturing. It was a rare occasion indeed to see the old ellon lose control. _That _was the problem. Erestor _needed_ to lose control, his sanity depended on it. He responded to Erestor's command with amusement, "Make me." It was a childish retort but certainly had the desired effect of raising Erestor's hackles.

The counselor was not quite prepared for Glorfindel's juvenile response. He huffed and drew himself to full height before berating the ellon who stood between him and the safety of Elrond's house. "Who do you think I am; one of your wardens that you can intimidate with a glance? Stand aside." The last was a command but Glorfindel was not about to submit.

Glorfindel stood his ground, ignoring the command that by right and position he was bound to obey. He pushed that thought quickly away. Here, in this place, they were but Erestor and Glorfindel, two friends having a minor disagreement. "You will have to move me yourself if you wish to pass," he replied in challenge. A flurry of confused thoughts and emotions crossed Erestor's face, among them fear, frustration and anger. _Anger…I can use anger._ Glorfindel took two leisurely steps toward his friend, knowing there would be no turning back. There were only two ways this encounter could end; one would see an end to their friendship and the other, a chance for healing to begin. Glorfindel prayed for the latter. He drew in a deep breath preparing himself for what came next. "Perhaps you need an incentive?"

It took a few seconds for Erestor to recognize the glint in Glorfindel's eye. It was more time than Glorfindel needed to drive a fist into Erestor's face and lay him out upon the ground.

Erestor hit the ground hard and he sat dazed for what seemed like an eternity. It took some time to process the reality of what Glorfindel had done. Erestor lifted a hand to his face in shock, touching the side of his mouth. Blood dripped from a gash, compliments of the Seneschal's fist.

Glorfindel loomed over the stunned counselor. He watched Erestor's shocked movements as the counselor confirmed what his face already knew.

"Are you just going to sit there?" Glorfindel asked the dumbfounded ellon.

Erestor climbed back to his feet and as he did Glorfindel moved toward the storage shed where the practice weapons were kept. He drew two identical swords from the rack. Returning to face Erestor, he threw one into the ground several yards away, the other he held firmly in his hand.

"Pick it up." Glorfindel barked as if giving an order to a student.

Whatever game Glorfindel was playing, Erestor refused to take part in it. The counselor shook his head in refusal but Glorfindel advanced on him like a predatory cat. He saw it then, in the warrior's stance and in the depths of his eyes. They told Erestor that whatever reason Glorfindel had for dragging him out here…it was _not_ a game.

"If you want to return to your books, old one, you will not test me." Glorfindel continued to advance slowly on Erestor, pointing the curved blade at Erestor's heart.

"You would not," as soon as the words passed his lips, Erestor regretted them.

Glorfindel's expression was unreadable, his answer without emotion. "Shall we find out?" He made one elegant slash, one that could have emptied Erestor's bowels had he not jumped back in time. As it stood, there was a clean slash across Erestor's torso cutting through his clothing and leaving a thin red line across his flesh.

Shock was not strong enough for the avalanche of thoughts that momentarily clouded Erestor's mind. "Have you gone mad?" he cried, backing away from his attacker, matching the ellon's advance with retreat.

"Not quite," Glorfindel replied. He followed Erestor as the ellon retreated several paces. "I'm warning you, Erestor, you will taste this blade again if you do not defend yourself." He lifted the sword again, ready to take another swipe at his friend.

Erestor shook his head, raising his hands in supplication, "Glorfindel, _please_."

The desperation in that plea nearly broke Glorfindel's resolve… nearly.

_This bone must be broken._

He swung the blade with precision toward the counselor's throat, if Erestor did not move his head in time it would be severed clean off.

Erestor did move, faster than Glorfindel anticipated. The blade missed its intended mark; _thank the Valar,_ and Erestor stood several paces away, sword in hand.

"There, now, that wasn't so hard," Glorfindel mused, before advancing once more on his prey.

"Give way," Erestor's futile plea fell on deaf ears.

Glorfindel shook his head. He could not give in now. Not when he was so close to meeting the _real_ Erestor. "Unleash him…the warrior you try to hide beneath that genteel façade. He cries out to be set free."

Glorfindel executed two more blows, both easily parried by the counselor's sword. Erestor was merely defending himself, his sword never rising to strike out at his friend. It was a fact not missed by Glorfindel.

_Fight me, damn it! _

Glorfindel attacked in a rush of blows that he might have used against any enemy. With each deadly thrust Erestor's response became more forceful, more aggressive until he was no longer defending but forcing his opponent to retreat.

Glorfindel saw the slow change come over Erestor. His feeble attempts at parrying the Balrog Slayer's blows became startling in their precision. Glorfindel found himself facing an opponent he had never known, his eyes black with rage. No one in Imladris had ever seen Erestor like this.

Two swift moves later the tables were turned. Glorfindel's eyes widened in shock as he found himself disarmed and he hissed in pain as Erestor's blade came down upon him, cutting across his side. Glorfindel fell to his knees, clutching the side of his abdomen as warm blood poured over his hands.

Erestor's frenzied mind was shocked instantly back to sobriety. _What have I done?_ "Glorfindel," Erestor dropped his sword where he stood and fell to his knees at his friend's side.

"Well done," Glorfindel laughed through clenched teeth. "I believe that is the first time anyone has disarmed me in four centuries.

Erestor pulled the torn cloth away from the wound. "Let me see it."

Glorfindel hissed as his companion took account of the injury. It was not too deep. Erestor tore a length of cloth from his cloak and tied it around his friend's waist to bind the wound.

"I believe I will need a healer," Glorfindel joked lightly, but knew his words were truer than he cared to think about for the moment. His gaze shifted to Erestor only to find tears running down the ellon's face. Erestor stared down at his blood stained hands, an expression of silent horror painted across his face.

"Erestor, look at me," Glorfindel clasped the ellon's arm with an unyielding grip. When he received no reply he repeated the words more forcefully. "Look at me."

Erestor lifted his eyes at Glorfindel's request. The face that met his was full of gentle concern and determination.

Glorfindel's heart broke at the anguish in his friend's eyes. He did not know the source of Erestor's pain, nor what triggered it to surface these last few days but he knew enough…war, killing, death…these things did terrible injury to an ellon's fëa, more so if they were buried within, without the chance to be set free.

Glorfindel took a deep breath. In a quiet voice he spoke words he'd never before shared with another. Erestor needed them now. He needed to know that he was not alone. "I have known terror beyond imagining, Erestor, felt the flesh melt from my bones. I have drowned in the memory of blood; the friends I could not save, the children I could not reach in time. When I dwelled in Namo's house, he forced me to relive these horrors. He helped me shed the guilt and pain I carried for the tragedies I'd witnessed, the decisions I could not change. I told him my secret thoughts, and in the telling I became whole again."

He gave Erestor's arm a firm squeeze before continuing. "That final battle still haunts my dreams, Erestor, but it does not rule my life. I do not know the source of the pain you carry, but I know you have borne it for far too long, given it power over your thoughts and actions. You must let go of these memories and allow them to pass away."

He released Erestor's arm, moving the hand to rest on his shoulder. "I cannot say that I will understand the demons that haunt you, my friend, but I will listen. Talk to me."

Erestor closed his eyes and took a trembling breath. The fresh air could not calm him. He could still smell the blood on his hands. He found the words, somewhere, lingering in the dark recesses of his soul. "You know the rush of battle, the adrenaline, the moment of triumph when an enemy falls beneath your sword."

Glorfindel nodded in reply before adding, "Yes. I know it well."

Erestor continued without acknowledging Glorfindel's reply. He was lost in his own memories and the present seemed to melt away. "Long ago, I raised a blade against an enemy. They came to take what was ours. Those who would not stand aside were cut down. I had seen evil before, Glorfindel, orc and dragon and all the foul beasts of the Earth, but never before had I felt such hate as I did for them. I wanted to kill every last one of them. I wanted to stain the ground red with their blood."

"Red?" Glorfindel's spoke without warning. A terrible feeling filled the pit of his stomach. Orc blood was the color of night. The enemy Erestor spoke of could only be men, dwarves or elves.

Erestor watched his friend take in those words. He saw him reach the obvious conclusion. "I could have killed you, Glorfindel. Did you know that?" Erestor watched as his friend's eyes widened in understanding.

Realization gripped him for the first time and Glorfindel swallowed hard. His hand once again found his wound. Several centimeters deeper and a major artery would have been severed and he and Erestor would not be having this conversation. "You certainly have the skill." It might have been a joke, had there been humor in Glorfindel's voice.

"Seventeen," Erestor's voice darkened, "I killed seventeen. I remember their faces, Glorfindel, their screams, the sound of my blade cleaving flesh and bone. I wanted them to die. I tread upon their corpses as their blood flowed into the Sirion, mixing with the blood of my kin. It was only when the battle was over and the Fëanorians retreated that I realized what I had done. I could have faded right there on the riverbank from the horror of it all."

Glorfindel tried unsuccessfully to suppress a shudder. He had seen many terrible things, but the kinslayings were outside his realm of experience. It was hard for him to understand how Erestor could have lived for so long upon these shores without the healing light of the Valar. "But you did not fade," it was part statement, part question.

"I could not," Erestor answered tiredly as if perhaps in this moment he regretted his own strength.

"Why?" Glorfindel could not suppress his own curiosity.

Erestor drew up his knees, his eyes still fixed on his blood-stained hands. "I heard crying… a child. There was a house nearby. He cried over his mother's body trying to wake her. I took him away. I covered his face so he would not see the bodies of elves that littered the shore. So he would not see the blood on my hands and know what I had done."

Glorfindel's heart ached for his friend's torment but the smallest of smiles curled his lip. Erestor always did have a soft spot in his heart for children, though he would not admit such a thing to anyone. "What happened to him?" Glorfindel asked, having never before heard of Erestor having a foster child.

Erestor's eyes held a faraway look as if the memory were so long suppressed it required effort to find the answer. "Dorainen stayed with me for a time, and when Morgoth was finally cast down, he sailed West to be reunited with the dead."

Glorfindel could see the deepness of Erestor's care for this child, lost these 6,000 years. "You will meet him again." They were the only words of comfort he could offer.

Erestor nodded absently, his focus now on the sword lying at his feet. He reached out to touch the blade. There was more to tell, more to this story, the truth that haunted Erestor through the ages; the truth that finally forced him to lay down his sword. "When the orcs attacked us, I did not hesitate to draw my sword. It was instinct, muscle memory, like a dance," he paused, not knowing if the words he spoke made sense. "I told Eruanna on our journey to Lórien that the instinct to survive exists in all living things. It is only natural."

Glorfindel studied his friend carefully. Erestor was trying to tell him something but what it was remained unclear. "It is not instinct that torments you now."

Erestor shook his head. "No, not instinct," he sighed. "That _orc_ was going to kill her. I saw him raise his blade and such a terrible rage came over me. I wanted him to die, to suffer; I wanted to cut him to pieces..."

"I understand," Glorfindel murmured.

"No, you do not," Erestor's head rose, pinning his companion with a pointed gaze. "Every time I feel hatred for another creature, be it orc or man, every time I hear the crack of bone and feel the spray of blood on my face… I am transported back to that day. I live that nightmare again. The bodies at my feet become the bodies of elves and the blood on my hands becomes their blood." Erestor's eyes fell once more to his own hands, covered now with Glorfindel's blood.

Glorfindel took Erestor's his hand in his, forcing the ellon's eyes back to his. He smiled sadly at the defeated looking ellon. He would not allow it to end like this. Glorfindel had his own thoughts to add for he was, much like Eruanna, given to forceful opinions of his own. "You have told me on more than one occasion that I am too forthright with my words, but I feel I must confess something."

"Tactless, is what I called you," Erestor said without humor.

This time Glorfindel's smile held a hint of mirth. "Yes, and I'm afraid I am doomed to remain so for all eternity." He took a deep breath, tightening his grip on Erestor's hand as he did so. "I am glad you killed them."

"What?" Erestor cried, pulling away from the warden's grasp. It was an undignified riposte to say the least, but the only acceptable response to Glorfindel's words.

Glorfindel frowned slightly. How could he explain his feelings to an ellon who bore such guilt for his actions? He spoke slowly, the words coming faster as his thoughts took form. "Those who followed Fëanor and his sons, those who slaughtered their own for pieces of fire and ice, are not worthy of the guilt you carry. I would have fought beside you, had I been there, my hands would carry the same stain… and I would not weep for them."

"You cannot mean that," Erestor whispered aghast. Never had any voiced such words when speaking of the kinslayings, not in his presence, anyway.

"Why not," Glorfindel was not about to have his own feelings challenged. "Why should I mourn those who brought such darkness down upon the innocent? Were their crimes not as heinous as that of any band of marauding ors; more so because they were committed against their own kind? You do not ask me to feel guilt for the countless orcs that died by my hand, though the tales say they too were once our kin."

"It is not the same…what I did," Erestor shook his head trying to force a wedge between his guilt and the logic of Glorfindel's words.

"You were innocent, Erestor, as innocent as the child you carried from the battlefield." Those words were spoken in the firm tone of a commander but they could not brush away the last pang of guilt that clawed at Erestor's heart.

"I did not have to pick up a sword," he whispered, his fingers gliding along the hilt of the blade that lay at his feet.

"You said it yourself, the instinct to survive exists in all living things...but such instinct does not end with self, Erestor." Glorfindel placed a hand over the one Erestor had on the sword. "We all fight to protect those we love, as you fought to protect Eruanna."

These words at least gave Erestor pause. He seemed to consider this…the instinct to survive…the instinct to protect.

Glorfindel pressed his point further. "Would you have allowed Maedhros' army to assault your people? Could you have simply stood aside and watched?"

"No," it was as simple as that, as simple as it had always been. Erestor could not stand aside while those he loved perished. And if he was forced to choose again, he would make the same decision.

Glorfindel breathed a sigh of relief at this answer. He may be getting through to Erestor after all. "I know you dwell on your hate and anger but you must remember something else."

"And what is that?" Erestor asked curiously.

"Evil cannot go unchallenged." Glorfindel stated with finality. He watched as those words took effect and he bolstered them with one final thought. "If you require further proof of this, think of the Valar. They cast Morgoth, their own brother, into the Void, for though he was born of Ilúvatar he wrought great evil upon Arda. They fought him. It was the only thing that could be done."

Glorfindel watched as a small smile spread across Erestor's face. It did not quite reach his eyes but did much to brighten his face. He directed that odd expression at Glorfindel.

"What?" the Seneschal questioned.

Erestor shook his head in awe. "How did you become so wise?"

"I learned it all from you," Glorfindel grinned in reply. He took another look at the cloth he held pressed against his injury. Blood was seeping through. He needed to get to a healer before he had to explain to Namo why he bled to death on a training field. "Now, my wisdom tells me we should make our way to the healers. I need to see Istuion and you owe someone an apology."

Erestor helped Glorfindel to his feet. He was well aware of whom the 'someone' was Glorfindel referred to, "You spoke with Eruanna?"

"I did," he answered sharply.

"What did she say?" Erestor believed he already knew the answer, but wished to hear Glorfindel's response.

"You hurt her with your deception, my friend." Glorfindel's voice held a reprimand.

"I know," Erestor breathed tiredly.

Glorfindel shook his head at his friend. The ellon should know better than to make attempts at deception. He was simply no good at it. "Honesty suits you better, Erestor. Talk to Eruanna, she will understand."

Erestor nodded in reply and the pair walked in silence back to the House. Erestor aided his friend up the winding path and stairs. When they reached the healing ward Erestor knocked gently on the door and moments later Glorfindel and Erestor found themselves face to face with Istuion.

Istuion took in the sight of the disheveled ellyn as well as the bloodied clothing pressed to the Seneschal's side. "What is all this?" Istuion demanded.

"Glorfindel! What happened?" Eruanna was seated in her bed reading the book Glorfindel brought her the day before. Her mouth was opened in shock at the sight of her teachers bloodied and bruised.

"I slipped," Glorfindel answered with all the concern one might have for a stubbed toe.

"Slipped?" Istuion barked. He was in no mood for the warden's attempt at humor.

"Yes, you know how terribly clumsy I can be," Glorfindel grinned at the ellon, knowing full well he would regret his sarcasm once Istuion began tending his wound.

"Come with me," Istuion turned on his heels. "I will see to your injury."

Glorfindel winked at Eruanna who shook her head disapprovingly.

Erestor followed behind, taking a seat on the edge of Eruanna's bed. Eruanna's worried gaze swept across him searching for any sign of injury. It did not take long for her to take note of his cut lip and the blood stained slash across his abdomen. "You're hurt," Eruanna lifted a hand to Erestor's bruised face.

"It is nothing," Erestor lifted a hand to rest upon hers.

"Nothing," she repeated, Eruanna would hardly call such injuries 'nothing'. "What happened?"

Erestor hesitated for a moment before giving her an answer. Glorfindel's words echoed in his head. Honesty really did suit him best. "I nearly gutted him."

It was not the answer Eruanna was expecting. She wasn't sure what Glorfindel's plan entailed, but it appeared to have included edged weapons. She shook her head trying to make sense of it all, "Why?"

Erestor smiled absently, "I think it was what he wanted."

Eruanna's eyes widened once more disbelief. She was quite certain Glorfindel did not_want_ to be disemboweled, and yet, it seemed very much like the manner of 'plan' the Seneschal would concoct.

Erestor knew he owed Eruanna an apology. It was difficult to offer one, for an explanation would expose secrets, secrets Erestor preferred to keep private. "I was afraid I might hurt you," he whispered softly, "that is why Glorfindel trained you." He squeezed Eruanna's hand, his eyes begging her forgiveness, "I could not live with myself if I hurt you."

Eruanna rested her head on Erestor's shoulder, wrapping her arms around him as she did. "Why would you fear such a thing?"

He lifted a hand to rest on the arm she'd wrapped around him. The simple gesture comforted him, but her question was yet unanswered. He looked down into the child's eyes, his expression grave. "I've hurt edhil before."

Eruanna lifted her head from Erestor. She knew the truth of those words. "That was so long ago."

Erestor shook his head in dismay. He looked into those soft brown eyes, searching his for an explanation. "Sometimes it feels like it is happening all over again," he confessed.

Eruanna's mind reeled at this new knowledge. Was that what happened? "Like when the orcs attacked us?"

"Yes."

Eruanna knew how hard it was for Erestor to speak of such things and it pained her to know that he was forced to relive such terrible memories. She felt an additional stab of guilt for all the times she'd expressed her loathing of those who fought in those battles. It added to her own burden of guilt. "Guilt is a terribly cruel beast," she muttered absently. "It weighs upon your heart and soul like an anchor, dragging you down into the abyss, and at the same time, it is a burden that may be carried forever." Eruanna lifted her eyes to find a curious expression on Erestor's face, "What?"

A small frown pulled at the edges of Erestor's lips. "There are times I forget you are not as young as your years profess, and that you have seen more than others many times your age."

"You see me as a child." That Erestor saw her as a child did not bother Eruanna, it was understandable. She would remain a child in the eyes of the Eldar for centuries to come and to the ancient ones, she would remain so forever.

"It is difficult not to," Erestor admitted.

Eruanna smiled in understanding. "I may yet be a child to you," she whispered softly, "but I know guilt. I have known it all my life."

Erestor saw the truth of those words clearly in Eruanna's eyes. Yes, she knew guilt, for her mother's death…for her very existence. It was the burden she carried, the weight that she would bear for eternity. His heart ached for the child, for while _his_ guilt was born from choice, Eruanna's was not. "I wish it were not so…for both of us."

Eruanna took Erestor's hand in hers and with deepest sincerity laid a challenge at Erestor's feet. "If the Valar and the Teleri of Alqualondë could forgive the elves that followed Fëanor, can you not find a way to forgive yourself?"

Erestor swallowed hard. He did not know if such forgiveness was possible, and besides, the Telari may have forgiven, but Erestor was not certain his heart could forgive the sons of Fëanor should he meet them again in Valinor. Eruanna waited for his answer.

"I will try." His voice was stronger than he expected and a level of conviction Erestor scarcely believed he possessed kindled in his heart. Perhaps healing was indeed possible with time, understanding and love.

Eruanna's face brightened with joy and a hint of humor. "I will help you," she announced gaily.

Erestor returned his child's smile, "How?"

Eruanna's delicate smile broadened into a grin. "You can teach me the move you used on Glorfindel."

The sound of Erestor's laughter filled the air for the first time since the attack on the border. "It won't work a second time; he will not soon forget it."

"I would still like you to show me," she added softly.

The seriousness of Eruanna's tone quieted Erestor and he contemplated her for a moment before making a decision. "I will consider it, when your shoulder has healed."

Eruanna wrapped Erestor in a tight hug. The pain from the wound on his stomach and in his heart was chased away by this simple act of love and acceptance. He lifted a hand to brush the hair that fell across her face. There was one last matter to settle.

"Eruanna," he paused, unsure of how to begin.

"Hmm?" Eruanna's eyelids remained closed as Erestor continued to caress her hair.

"There is something else I wish to speak of," he continued.

"What is it?"

Erestor took a deep breath before plunging in. "You called for me when you were sick with fever."

Eruanna thought on this for a moment. No one told her she'd spoken in her sleep. She recalled something of the nightmares that troubled her before she awoke. "I had terrible dreams, of the orcs. I kept trying to reach you but you were too far away. No one told me I called out your name."

"You did not," he replied.

Eruanna lifted her head from its resting place, confusion written across her face. "I don't understand."

"I think you called me ada."

Eruanna did not know what to say. She did not doubt his words but was unsure how to respond. "I don't know why I did that." Erestor's silence gave her no insight into his feelings on the matter. Her eyes fell to the floor and an apology found its way past her lips. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."

"No, you did not," he assured her quickly. "It surprised me. That is all."

Eruanna ventured a glance in Erestor's direction. "I suppose I call you that inside my head sometimes," she admitted.

Erestor did not know his heart could feel such immense joy. Minutes ago he was close to drowning in despair. Eruanna's words lightened his heart, lifting him from the darkness. He'd never loved anyone more and to have his feelings returned was the greatest gift the Valar could grant him. "You can call me adar whenever you desire."

"You would not mind?" Eruanna's cheerful expression reflected Erestor's.

"It would bring my heart much joy," he told her with deepest sincerity.

"Lord Erestor," the tender moment was interrupted by the reappearance of a rather indignant healer.

"Lord Istuion?" Erestor replied in the same acerbic tone.

"I've just learned from my _patient_," he let the word drop as if it held an unpleasant taste, "that you are also in need of medical care."

Erestor lifted a hand to the slash across his abdomen. "I do appear to have a small laceration. It is nothing to be concerned about."

He should have known better than to argue with Istuion. The healer was the only ellon in Imladris older than Erestor and he was not shy about reminding others of that fact. This was his domain and all who entered these halls came under his authority.

"I believe I will be the judge of that. Follow me, please." Istuion exited the room leaving Erestor with a defeated look in his eyes.

Eruanna stopped Erestor before he could get himself into further trouble. "Remember what Elrond says, 'Never talk back to a healer.'"

Erestor climbed to his feet. He had the feeling this was Glorfindel's revenge for the blow he'd landed. "I'll try to remember that."

An impatient voice called out from the adjacent room. "Do you plan on keeping me waiting all day?"

"You'd better hurry before he really gets going," Eruanna shooed him toward the door.

Erestor sighed in defeat, "very well." Before he took five steps the ellon's attention was drawn back to Eruanna.

"Ada," Eruanna called after him. She watched as Erestor halted and turning toward her rose a brow in question. "Thank Glorfindel for me, will you." Glorfindel deserved much thanks, indeed. More than she was capable of offering.

Erestor nodded his head. Glorfindel would probably make light of what he'd done, say it was nothing. It was his way. When matters became too serious he always found a way to make others smile. Glorfindel may not accept his thanks but he would offer it anyway. "I will tell him."


	37. A crowded room

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 37– A crowded room**

**Third Age 2805**

Elrond postponed the celebration of his daughter's return for more than a week until Eruanna was well enough to make an appearance. It was a great fete with music and food, song and dance. Every member of his house was in attendance…a joyous eve indeed. A smile curled Elrond's lips for the first time in many years. His eyes sought his children. Arwen danced with Elrohir, while Elladan accompanied the musicians with his flute. It was a joy to have all three of his them under his roof again.

A cheer rose to greet the latest arrival and Elrond's eyes flew to the door. Erestor stood on the threshold and all bid him welcome. The counselor hid his embarrassment well, but Elrond was perceptive enough to know Erestor did not care for being the center of attention. Elrond smiled broadly at his friend as he approached the high table, taking his seat on Elrond's left hand side. The counselor had an equally joyous expression on his face, a rare sight for the normally reserved ellon.

"You appear in high spirits this eve, Erestor," Elrond poured a glass of wine for his companion and handed it to him.

Erestor took the glass and nodded in thanks. He'd been avoiding Elrond ever since snapping at him days earlier. He'd spent the intervening time hidden in his rooms so he'd not have to explain the large bruise on his face and cut lip to Elrond. "I am feeling much better. Glorfindel knocked some sense into me."

The humor in Erestor's choice of words was not missed by Elrond. "So I heard," Elrond took a sip of his wine before adding, "Istuion was not pleased."

Erestor should have known the healer would go straight to Elrond with news of his and Glorfindel's injuries. "I imagine not," Erestor groaned dramatically, "I'll not soon forget Istuion's lecture on the proper behavior expected of elven Lords."

The two friends eyes met and they shared a laugh at the healer's expense. When the humor of the moment subsided, Erestor's expression grew serious. He owed Elrond an apology and he'd waited long enough to offer it. "I wish to apologize for my sharp words the other day."

Elrond shook his head, his eyes full of gentle understanding. "There is no need for an apology my friend. You were in pain, and I have been known to push too hard."

"You are too forgiving, Elrond." Erestor shook his head, setting his glass down heavily upon the table. "Please, just accept my apology."

"If you insist," Elrond inclined his head in the ellon's direction, "I accept," and with those simple words all was well between them. Neither Lord could remain hurt or angered by the other for long. Elrond's gaze swept once more over the assembled party but the joy that lit his face did not quite hide the fatigue in his eyes.

"You look tired," Erestor could not keep from voicing his concern.

"I am fine," Elrond replied dismissively.

Erestor was not so easily convinced, "You cannot fool me, Elrond. I've not been away that long." Erestor leaned back in his chair, studying his Lord as he did. Elrond's eyes bore new age lines, but no one else in the household would have noticed. No one else had spent more than six millennia looking into those eyes. The Lord of Imladris had aged more in these last three hundred years than in the proceeding three thousand. "These years have not been easy on you," Erestor whispered, watching his companion's face fall with his words.

Elrond should have known Erestor would see right through him. He breathed a tired sigh, not having the strength to make an attempt at deception. "The house was empty without my children, without you," he stated simply.

Erestor's eyes swept the crowded hall. There must have been two hundred edhil gathered to celebrate their return, "The house is hardly empty."

A sad smile curled the edge of Elrond's mouth, "One can feel alone in a crowded room."

Elrond's words weighed heavily on Erestor's heart. It was a difficult decision for Erestor to leave Rivendell and his distaste for bloodshed was not the only thing holding him back. The Lord of Imladris clung to this world by a thread and Erestor could not help but feel guilt for abandoning him.

A second round of applause drew the Lords' eyes to the door. Glorfindel entered with Eruanna on his arm. Her face was bright, her eyes shining, but her step was slightly unsteady and she leaned on Glorfindel for support.

"Is she truly well enough to leave the healing ward?" Erestor asked, his voice filled with concern.

Istuion agreed that Eruanna was well enough to be released for the evening but Elrond was well aware that nothing he could say would lessen Erestor's worry for the child. Elrond rolled his eyes at his companion, an uncharacteristic gesture if ever there was one. "Do you think I would release her if she were not well?"

Erestor bit his tongue, cursing himself for his thoughtless words. He'd not meant to doubt Elrond's judgment as a healer. "No, of course," he responded with a sheepish smile.

They watched as a line of edhil greeted Eruanna, welcoming her back with handshakes, hugs, and pecks on the cheek. It occurred to Elrond at that moment that although he'd seen Eruanna every day since Glorfindel carried her into the healing ward, he'd not yet properly welcomed her home.

His thoughts drifted back to their parting. It seemed like ages ago Eruanna stood in the courtyard preparing for the journey to Lórien, ages since he made the decision to let her go. Elrond thought he was doing the right thing, but in the years that followed, he wondered daily if he hadn't made a mistake.

This was his greatest weakness.

He'd struggled against it with each fulcrum lost… Elros…Gil-galad…Celebrían. Each time Elrond told himself he'd never again tie his sense of repletion to another. It frightened him to think he might have failed once again. Not since Elros died had Elrond met another born of two worlds. His rational mind screamed that Eruanna was _not_ Elros. It was unfair to use the child as an emotional replacement for his brother, but his heart mourned that lost connection, a bond with another born of men and elves but belonging to neither.

"On the morning you departed for Lórien, I considered telling Eruanna she could not go," Elrond spoke in a quiet voice so no other could overhear.

Erestor's eyes widened at this unexpected confession. "Why?"

Elrond sighed, unable to articulate all the thoughts cluttering his mind. There was only one response Elrond could give him, one he knew Erestor would understand. "So I would not be the only one in Imladris whose footsteps could be heard."

Elrond's words were painful to his friend's ears. It was many long years since he'd heard Elrond decry his halfelven nature. He'd not done so since before wedding Celebrían. For more than two thousand years _she_ was the proof of Elrond's worth and on the day he lost her, the doubts that gnawed at him in ages past returned with a vengeance.

Erestor had yet to inform Elrond about Eruanna's relationship with Rumil. He wished to wait for the right moment, but he realized now that the right moment would never come. "I thought she may not return to Imladris with us."

Elrond was visibly startled by this unexpected news, "What do you mean?"

"You know young Rumil, Marchwarden Haldir's brother," Erestor was well aware his Lord knew of whom he spoke.

"Of course," Elrond replied, "he is a friend of my sons."

Erestor studied his glass a moment, unable to meet Elrond's eyes while delivering this news. "He and Eruanna have become close these last few years. He asked her to stay with him."

Elrond felt his jaw fall open but he quickly regained composure. He'd not been prepared for this, Eruanna was so young and in the waning days of the elves, it was rare for the young edhil in Middle Earth to marry, most waited until reaching Valinor. A myriad of questions clouded Elrond's mind, but one found its way past his lips. "Why didn't she?"

_Why, indeed?_ Erestor grumbled silently. "I believe that would be your mother-in-law's doing."

"Galadriel?" Elrond should not have been surprised. The Lady of Light was known for guiding the destinies of others.

Erestor nodded, his eyes holding a measure of disapproval. "She offered Eruanna a glimpse into her mirror."

Elrond's eyes grew wide at that. He knew Galadriel would not have allowed the elleth to see her future unless she believed it necessary. "What did she see?"

"I dared not ask," Erestor replied, "but I can guess." He could more than guess; he could feel it, the world changing, the darkness drawing near.

_Guess, indeed._ Elrond's fingers sought the ring he wore on his right hand. He could see the same thoughts flashing across Erestor's face. "The Shadow is gaining power." Elrond closed his eyes and breathed deeply, voicing his greatest fear to the only ellon he trusted with the knowledge. "I fear this time I will not have the strength to stand against him."

Erestor laid a hand on his Lord's shoulder. He could not allow Elrond to think that way, "You will not face him alone."

The two ellyn shared a silent understanding but the quiet moment was interrupted by the tinkling voice of Lúthien reborn.

"Ada," Arwen made her way to her father's side, her face bright and smiling. "Will you dance with me?"

For the briefest of moments Elrond could see Celebrían in his daughter's sparkling eyes. How could he refuse when the two ellith that held his heart looked at him through those eyes? "Of course I will," he stood gracefully, taking his daughter's arm in his and leading her out onto the floor.

Arwen could hardly believe the ease with which her father accepted the invitation but she was grateful for it. She'd been looking forward to this moment for days.

Elrond gazed down into his daughter's eyes. They were a beautiful sight, painfully so. "I'm glad we can finally celebrate your return."

"Yes," the light that lit Arwen's face dimmed as her thoughts turned to the cause of the delay. "Eruanna is recovering fast," she spotted the elleth seated near the terrace, speaking with Glorfindel and the Lórien wardens.

"Arwen," Elrond spoke softly, watching as a flurry of troubled emotions passed over his daughter's face.

Arwen's concerned eyes returned to meet her father's. "I was supposed to look after her."

Elrond's hand tightened on his daughter's. She was not to blame for Eruanna's injuries but he understood the guilt she felt all too well. "We can not always protect the people we love."

"I know," Arwen whispered, laying her head against his chest as she did.

"You are both safe now." They finished the dance in silence and Elrond drew his daughter into a warm embrace when it ended.

Arwen looked up into her father's eyes. They always had the power to ease her fears. "I missed you, ada."

"And I, you." Elrond was about to lead Arwen off the dance floor when a hand on his shoulder halted him.

"Excuse me," Glorfindel managed to sneak up on his Lord and Lady as they moved off the floor. He bowed to the pair with a flourish and held out his hand to Arwen. "My Lady, will you honor me with a dance."

Arwen's good humor returned with Glorfindel's dashing smile. "Of course I will," Arwen kissed her father once on the cheek before taking the ellon's hand.

Elrond passed Glorfindel his daughter's hand and with a nod, turned to seek out Eruanna.

Glorfindel and Arwen fell into step with the other dancers but the Seneschal's eyes followed Elrond to the door where he took a seat beside Eruanna.

Arwen followed his line of sight and both paused to smile as Eruanna's hand rose to wave the dancing couple a greeting. Arwen smiled back at the younger elleth who then turned her attention back to Elrond.

"He missed you," Glorfindel's voice drew Arwen's eyes back to her dance partner.

"I know," was Arwen's solemn reply. She'd wanted so much to see her grandparents again and prove that fear held no sway over her, that she'd not thought about how much her absence would affect her father.

Glorfindel's eyes found Elrond and Eruanna once more. Elrond's eyes were brighter than Glorfindel had seen them for more than a hundred years. It was good to see him smile again. "He missed Eruanna, too, more than he'd care to admit."

Arwen watched her father talking and laughing with Eruanna. It made her heart glad, the sound of his laughter. It was unique among all the ellyn she'd ever known, just like his voice and his eyes. Watching Eruanna and her father sitting together Arwen saw with clarity how alike they were, and how different from the ellyn and ellith surrounding them. "They are the same, Eruanna and my father."

Glorfindel looked down into Arwen's face, nodding his head in agreement. It was good to have Arwen home once more. The house seemed empty without the Lady Undomiel. Her absence weighed heavily on her father's heart. All could feel it. With her return, a light shone once more in Rivendell, and with it, other loved ones sorely missed. "I am glad you have all returned to us," the Lord told her with deepest sincerity, "it has been quiet with everyone away."

Arwen's reply was interrupted by laughter as several young wardens entered the hall, each sporting a mane of bright orange hair. Arwen stopped in her tracks and her mouth fell open at the sight. She'd heard of some recent mishap involving hair soap in one of the bathing facilities, but had yet to see the result.

Glorfindel let out a deep sigh, amending his previous statement as he did, "I take that back. I am glad _some_ of you have returned to us."

Elladan and Elrohir's muffled laughter reached Arwen's ears as the two came to 'rescue' her from Glorfindel. They shook their heads in dismay at the sight of the wardens, looking for all the world as innocent as two newborn pups.

"Such a terrible color," Elrohir said with a convincing measure of pity.

Elladan nodded in agreement, his face a mask of sympathy, "We must find out who is responsible for this cruel prank and deal with the culprit."

Glorfindel looked upon the brothers disapprovingly. Arwen attempted the same but was unable suppress the smile curling the corners of her lips. Elladan's eyes caught hers; the humor she saw there was all that was needed to send Arwen into a fit of laughter. Her brothers quickly followed suit and many curious eyes from around the room alighted on the trio. When the Lady finally regained control of her mirth she wiped away several tears born from her joy wrapping her arms around her mischievous brothers. Her eyes fell on Glorfindel who'd watched the touching moment in silence. Arwen grinned at him and with a contented sigh announced to all, "It's good to be home."


	38. Setting the record straight

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 38 – Setting the record straight**

**Third Age 2806 (one year later)**

Eruanna missed the block and Erestor cut her across the abdomen with one fluid motion. She took the killing blow none too gracefully, throwing her practice sword to the ground in frustration. That was the fifth time Erestor outmaneuvered her and what burned most was she knew he wasn't even really trying.

Her hands rested on her hips and with a fair amount of frustration still lingering in her voice grumbled, "At least we're using wooden swords, otherwise I'd be in a lot of trouble."

"You'd be dead," Erestor's voice was stern but his eyes laughed at her unladylike tantrum.

Eruanna leaned down to reclaim her sword. The thing was useless. "It would be helpful if you showed me how to block that move."

Erestor shook his head apologetically. "A good teacher allows his students to figure some things out for themselves," he told her.

Eruanna could not keep her sarcasm at bay. "Is this another character building exercise or do you simply enjoy watching me lose?"

Erestor's eyes laughed at his child's words but he made no verbal reply. The lesson _was_ intended to build character, but he dared not admit that Eruanna's inability to figure out the correct response and her childlike tantrums were more than a bit amusing.

Erestor's well humored expression sobered somewhat as he watched Eruanna rub her shoulder for the third time in the last hour. "I think we're finished for today. You shouldn't overwork that shoulder."

"It's fine, ada," she replied. In truth, Eruanna was ready to call it a day. Her shoulder might be well enough but her ego couldn't take any more humiliation.

Erestor wrapped his arm around Eruanna's shoulders; the sight of her dirt smeared cheek brought a smile to his face. He lifted a hand to wipe the smudge away but only succeeded in making it worse. "I believe we could both use a bath as well," he laughed as Eruanna lifted a hand to rub her cheek, grimacing at the grime she found there.

"A bath would be wonderful," Eruanna could barely wait to take a long soak and forget how soundly she'd been walloped.

Eruanna walked over to the edge of the small training field to where her cloak and waterskin lay across a long bench. Her eyes fell on a small break in the trees where a branch lay in an oddly unnatural position, as if someone had moved it away to get a better look at the field. Eruanna's lips curled into wry grin and she called over her shoulder to Erestor, "I believe we had visitors."

Erestor groaned dramatically, "It _is_ growing tiresome."

Erestor only agreed to spar with Eruanna on the condition they use wooden replicas. He didn't trust himself to wield a real sword in her presence. After a few practice sessions, Erestor discovered that he'd garnered a handful of curious admirers. Word spread about his skill in the months following the border skirmish, and some time later someone let slip a version of the tale surrounding Glorfindel and Erestor's injuries.

"They just want to see you in action," Eruanna tried to soothe Erestor's annoyance but her words did little to ease the tension.

"I know," Erestor threw his own cloak over his shoulder and headed for the path leading to the House. He needed to put a stop to these rumors once and for all and taking advantage of the fact that their 'spies' could not be far, he didn't head directly for the house but instead took the winding path leading past the other training fields. Eruanna followed on his heels. She said nothing, but when his eyes found hers she shot him a questioning look. They did not have to travel far before coming within earshot of a conversation not intended for Erestor's ears.

"I tell you he nearly _killed_ Glorfindel," Authion, Glorfindel's lieutenant, exclaimed.

"Don't be absurd," a younger ellon replied, waving the older warden away as he drew a bow, concentrating on a target far afield.

"Who did you hear that from?" A third warden, sitting upon the grass looked up at the lieutenant with disbelief written clearly across his face.

"Caladwen, she was there. She saw their injuries," Authion replied, daring the younger warden to doubt the healer's claim. No one made a reply. They all knew Caladwen was not the type of elleth to make up stories.

Vanimon, the youngest of all the assembled wardens, spoke for the first time since Authion began his rant. "I saw him…when we were attacked on the road to Imladris."

"So what do _you_ think?" Authion pressed the ellon.

Vanimon didn't really want to think about it, but his mind found its way back to that battle and his memory of the High Counselor. "He was amazing," Vanimon replied rather breathlessly. The warden immediately realized his words sounded a bit childish and attempted to remedy the situation by adding, "for an ellon who sits around reading all day, that is."

"I thank you for thinking so, Vanimon," Erestor's voice rang out as he stepped into view. Eruanna followed him hesitantly, not really knowing where this confrontation would lead.

"Lord Erestor, Lady Eruanna," Authion balked.

Erestor fixed the lieutenant with a pointed gaze. "You should not fall prey to idle gossip, Authion. It is not befitting an ellon of your age and station."

"Forgive me, I didn't intend, that is…," the warden stumbled over his words.

Eruanna fought hard to keep her laughter at bay as a look of unease fell over the assembled wardens.

"You merely wish to find out the truth of the matter," Erestor finished for him.

"Yes," Authion managed to answer.

Erestor shook his head at the wardens, his expression one of amusement. "Do you _really_ think that I am capable of defeating the Great Balrog Slayer in a contest of skill?"

One warden opened his mouth to answer then closed it tightly, as if fearful of voicing the wrong opinion.

A second ellon, braver than the first, offered the Lord a somewhat diplomatic answer. "We don't know, that is, we've heard stories."

Erestor nodded and fixing his gaze once more on Authion, questioned him directly for the first time. "You've seen Glorfindel and I spar before, have you not?"

Authion nodded, "a few times, in years past."

Erestor's brow rose in challenge, "And did you ever see me win?"

"No," he admitted, both to Erestor and the assembled crowd. This minor fact was certainly a blow to his theory regarding Glorfindel's injuries. Authion's belief that Erestor could defeat Glorfindel in a fight seemed rather absurd given the ellon's poor showing each time the Seneschal dragged him out to the training fields.

Erestor smiled inwardly as the doubt lingering in Authion's and the other wardens' eyes faded from sight.

"I wouldn't imagine so," Erestor's eyes mocked himself and the very idea of _anyone_ defeating the great Balrog Slayer. He graced the young wardens with an expression of kind understanding. "Some edhil allow their imaginations to run away with them. You should avoid placing trust in foolish rumors."

"Yes, sir," the group intoned as one.

"Good day to you all," Erestor nodded his farewell before taking Eruanna's arm and leading her back to the path.

"Good day," Eruanna added as she was led away. The pair walked back to the house in silence. It was only when they reached the courtyard that Eruanna once again found her voice. "Ada?"

"Hmm," Erestor was startled from his own thoughts by the sound of Eruanna's voice. He looked down into her face, her eyes full of questions.

"Why did you do that?" she asked him.

Erestor had no need to ask what she was referring to. He breathed out a tired sigh. It was a difficult question to answer, there were so many reasons. "Glorfindel is looked upon with great admiration by our wardens. I wouldn't want anyone to think less of him."

"Or differently about you," Eruanna added, seeing in his eyes some of what was left unspoken.

"There are some beliefs that are not meant to be challenged," Erestor's unshakable belief in that statement shone clearly in his eyes.

"Ada," Eruanna shook her head disapprovingly. _Why can't he allow people to see his true self? _Eruanna was about to voice this question when Erestor halted her with a firm gaze and uplifted hand.

Erestor's hand rose to silence any lecture that was forthcoming. The decision to put an end to this gossip had nothing to do with Erestor and Glorfindel, it was not personal. This was about the House of Elrond, about the turnings of the world and all the people in it. It was about holding on to the surety of the past, even as the world was changed.

The future was uncertain but some things could remain unaltered by the currents of time, some things _must_ remain. The Eldar needed certainties to anchor them in times of great hardship. The trials were coming, and Erestor would not allow one rash act to add to others' confusion.

Erestor took Eruanna's hand in a firm grip. The intensity of his words left no doubt as to their importance. "Glorfindel is the great Balrog Slayer and I am the wise counselor. That is how it has always been and that is how it must remain."


	39. Child of Arnor

_**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 39 – Child of Arnor**

**Third Age 2933 (102 years later)**

It was late in the evening when Eruanna finished organizing the stack of papers required for the morning council meeting. It took more hours than she'd expected to complete the task Erestor set for her, as per usual.

She smiled to herself at the memory of Lord Elrond's prophetic words, _'Should you ever find yourself in Erestor's employ, you'll be busier than ever you were as his student."_

Eruanna placed the final page atop the pile and sat heavily in her chair. Her stomach grumbled its disapproval for missing the evening meal. Unfortunately for her stomach, she still needed to drop these scrolls off in Elrond's private study before she could seek out a snack from the kitchen. _I'd better get moving, or the sound of this grumbling will wake the entire house!_

Eruanna tied the pile with a bit of string and lifted it into her arms. She blew out several candles that lit the room before heading out. Her footsteps echoed eerily in the halls. The house had grown quiet in the last few decades with one family after another departing for Valinor.

Drawing nearer to Elrond's study, Eruanna's ears were met with the sound of hushed voices. There were several and they spoke not in any elven tongue. It was the sound of Westron and the voices were those of men, not elves. Eruanna had seen men before, visitors to Elrond's house, but she did her best to avoid them. It was not possible now. As she rounded the corner, her eyes fell upon a gathered company of men, six in all. They were seated or standing near the gallery windows across from Elrond's study, the very place to which she was headed. The men did not miss her sudden appearance. Some looked at her curiously, others with a healthy measure of suspicion. It was those eyes that angered Eruanna and gave her courage enough to continue her forward movement. This was her home after all; it was their presence, not hers that raised suspicion.

Eruanna fixed her gaze on the door and upon reaching it, knocked loudly as one who expected admittance. Not seconds later a face appeared before her, but it was not the one she'd expected, "Elladan?"

"Eruanna," the young Lord glanced over her shoulder at the men in the hall before ushering her inside.

Eruanna slipped into the room to find quite a crowd already gathered. Elrond sat in his favorite chair by the fire. A woman sat across from him, her arms wrapped tightly around some small bundle. Eruanna could not see the woman's face; her hands shielded it from view as she wept softly. Erestor looked on silently, standing at Elrond's side. Elrohir was there also, leaning against the edge of his father's desk.

All glanced briefly in Eruanna's direction as she entered then returned their attention to the weeping woman.

For several seconds Eruanna was unsure of what to do. The weight of the package in her arms reminded her of the reason she'd come in the first place and she moved quietly to Elrohir's side, laying the bundle of papers in their usual place on Elrond's desk. She questioned Elrohir with her eyes, but he merely shook his head in reply, unable to discuss whatever this was about at the present time.

Without a word, Elrohir pushed off from his resting place and made his way to his father's side. He dropped to one knee and whispered something in Elrond's ear. His father nodded once and in a soft voice began speaking to the woman.

"Lady Gilraen," Elrond whispered, placing a gentle hand upon her shoulder. The woman's hands fell from her face and Elrond handed her a handkerchief to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Gilraen dried her face, catching her breath before making any attempt to speak. "Forgive my weakness, Lord Elrond. These past few days have been terrible and I knew not where else to go."

Elrond frowned sadly at the woman's words. "Do not apologize, Gilraen. I have never known weakness to be a trait of the women of the Dunedain," _their men perhaps, but never their women._ "You were right to come here."

"Thank you," Gilraen's voice trembled but she managed a small, genuine smile.

"There are many things we must discuss, you and I." Elrond glanced briefly in Elrohir's direction before retuning his attention to the woman and the bundle in her arms. "Perhaps it would be best if we put your son to bed. He has fallen asleep once more."

Gilraen looked down at the child she held close to her breast. She did not appear willing to let him go.

Elrond took the woman's hand firmly in his, offering her the assurance she needed. "He is safe in my house. No harm will come to him here."

The woman nodded slowly, soothed somewhat by the elf Lord's words.

Elrond lifted his eyes from the woman. They drifted across the room to where Eruanna stood. All the time he'd spoken to the woman he used Westron but he fell back into Sindarin when addressing Eruanna. "Eruanna, will you take the child to your room for now and watch over him?"

Eruanna's eyes widened at this unexpected request; she'd never cared for a child before. In truth, she could not even recall the last time she'd laid eyes on one.

Elrond saw the uncertainty in Eruanna's eyes. It was Elrohir who suggested Eruanna take the child, and there was no one who worried more for the heir of Isildur than Elrohir. Elrond beckoned Eruanna forward. "We trust you with his care, Eruanna. Please come and take him."

Eruanna moved hesitantly to Gilraen's side.

Elrond once again addressed the woman, "Lady Gilraen, this is Eruanna. She will see that Aragorn is well cared for." Elrond reached out to take the boy from the woman. If any other had attempted to part mother and child, they would not have met with such success. Elrond stood with the child in his arms and passed him off to Eruanna so that the boy's head rested on her shoulder.

Eruanna took the child carefully, afraid of dropping him in front of his worried mother. She studied the small face that nestled against her shoulder. She hardly believed that such innocence existed in the world. Eruanna lifted her eyes to meet Elrond's and he motioned for her to take the child away. Erestor smiled gently at Eruanna, his silent gaze assuring her that she would not fail in this task.

Eruanna left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. It was only then that Eruanna recalled the assembly of men waiting in the hall.

"Where do you take him?" one barked at Eruanna before she could take two steps away from the door.

The words were spoken in Westron and Eruanna managed through a sudden flash of fear to find the proper words, "to sleep," she told him.

The man did not appear convinced. He took a step towards her, growling menacingly as he did, "Who are you?"

An answer issued from the doorway to Elrond's study.

"She is my sister, Haldad," the icy tone in which Elrohir spoke those words left no doubt as to his feelings concerning the man's rude behavior. He fixed the man with a glare worthy of Glorfindel. "Did you think I would allow someone I do not trust to take him?"

Haldad fell silent at the Lord's reprimand. He'd trusted this elf-man all his life and would not begin questioning his wisdom now. Haldad bowed his head to Eruanna in apology, "forgive me, my Lady."

Eruanna accepted his apology with a nod. Her eyes shifted to Elrohir who remained standing in the doorway.

Elrohir spoke to her in Sindarin, "Go now. We will come to see you later."

Eruanna nodded once and turned to face the man Haldad. His concerned eyes rested on the child she held in her arms. Eruanna did not know who this child was, or why he'd been brought to Imladris, but there was one thing of which she was certain. "He will be safe here; Lord Elrond will protect him."

* * *

Eruanna rushed to the door at the sound of light knocking. She'd sat in silence for more than an hour watching the babe sleep, waiting for someone to come and tell her what this was all about. 

Eruanna opened the door quietly, not wishing to wake the sleeping child. "Lord Elrond, Elrohir," she whispered in greeting.

"May we come in?" Elrond asked out of courtesy, not really expecting to be turned away.

"Of course," Eruanna stood aside so the ellyn could enter. She closed the door behind them and led the pair to her bedchamber. "He is asleep on my bed." She'd laid the child in the center of her bed and placed pillows around him for fear that he might fall.

Elrond entered the darkened room and took a seat beside the sleeping mortal. His eyes were closed and his face peaceful. Elrond lifted his eyes to find Eruanna sitting opposite him. "Thank you for taking him. I know you have never cared for a child before, but you are not the only one."

Eruanna knew the truth of those words, having met many childless edhil in both Imladris and Lórien. "He slept the entire time so it was not too difficult." Eruanna brushed the boy's hair from his face. She'd never before seen another sleep like this, with their eyes closed.

"He sleeps with his eyes closed," she whispered, "now I know why the others find it so disturbing."

Elrond understood how it felt to be thought different. He'd long been the only member of the household to sleep thus. "It is natural for mortals, as it is with us," he told her.

Eruanna's eyes widened in surprise, she'd never thought to ask Elrond if he slept like this…it was not exactly the most appropriate of questions.

After the shock of this new revelation wore off, Eruanna found she was ready to learn more about why this mortal child and his mother had come to Imladris. "What brings them here?"

This outwardly simple question caused Elrond's grey eyes to darken. Those troubled eyes fell on Elrohir, who'd remained silent all this time. "Elrohir will explain, but once he has, you must swear never to share this knowledge with anyone. Do I have your word?"

Eruanna looked down upon the tiny child, why one so small should require such secrecy was not within her realm of understanding, at least, not yet. "I swear it," she told him.

Elrond took Eruanna at her word; he had no reason to believe she'd break it. He smoothed down the blanket cradling the sleeping child. "Erestor has prepared a room for Gilraen and her son, but I think she could use a quiet night's sleep. Will you keep him here until the morning?"

"Of course," Eruanna was not about to chase the child from her bed and in truth, she was not yet through watching him sleep.

Elrond's heart warmed at the elleth's kindness, though he'd expected nothing less from Eruanna. He leaned down to kiss the child's forehead, whispering these words as he did, "You are safe now, little Estel."

* * *

_**Author's Note**: I reworked the ending of this story a bit so we have **7 chapters remaining**, then I'm going on a little writing hiatus. I may write some short stories, but nothing this long for at least a year. Let the countdown begin!_


	40. Dawn of hope

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 40 – Dawn of hope**

**Third Age 2951 (18 years later)**

Eruanna followed the garden path down into the valley. This was not a casual stroll. It took time and careful maneuvering to reach her intended destination, a small rock outcropping overlooking the river. It was the child's favorite hiding place, after all, why should it be easy to reach?

Eruanna spied him sitting in his usual spot, seemingly preoccupied with his hands. She announced her approach from afar so as not to startle him. Eruanna learned very quickly that though her own hearing was poor compared to the elves, Estel seemed near deaf in comparison. It was always best to announce her presence, especially since the twins began his weapons training.

"I thought I'd find you here, Estel," she called out across the ridge.

Estel's eyes flew to the source of the unexpected greeting. The young man's lips curled into a smile at the sight of his childhood tutor, but the expression did not entirely reach his eyes. "Good afternoon Eruanna. Have you just returned from Lothlórien?"

"A few hours ago," Eruanna settled down easily at the young man's side, "and to my great delight I learned that you, too, have returned from your travels."

Eruanna laid a companionable hand on the young man's shoulder. "So, tell me of your adventures. Your brothers spoke of great deeds. I would hear your account of them."

Eruanna braced herself for an enthusiastic retelling of high adventure. Even as a small boy, Estel possessed a flair for storytelling. He could turn a fall from a tree or a scraped knee into a tale of bravery and high renown. She expected nothing less from him after his year in the wilderness.

The shadow that fell across the young man's face was not what Eruanna expected. Concerned by the abrupt change in the Estel's affect, Eruanna studied him carefully. She noted for the first time a significant change in him since their last encounter. No trace of the childlike innocence of youth remained in his stormy eyes and the lines of his face spoke of some inner turmoil. Eruanna wondered at the cause of this change, and why the twins failed to warn her that something was amiss.

Eruanna followed Estel's gaze as it returned to his hands. He wore a ring on his right hand of a strangely familiar design. Eruanna developed quite a passion for illustration over her long years of study, a passion born from viewing the beautifully detailed drawings that accompanied the great tales. In a flash of memory she connected the image of the ring with its place in history.

"The ring of Barahir," her eyes widened in surprise.

Estel's thoughts came into focus with Eruanna's utterance, "You know it?" he asked her.

"Of course, I have studied the great histories," she reminded him.

Estel's breath hitched, as if he fought hard to hold back his words. He did not succeed and they escaped with a torrent of emotion. "Did you know who _I_ was as well?"

It was a simple question but laden with a mixture of curiosity, hurt, and betrayal. Eruanna heard and felt them all as those piercing eyes pressed her for an answer.

"I knew. I was there the night you and your mother came to us." Eruanna's soft voice did little to cushion the impact of her words.

"And all this time, no one saw fit to speak my true name?" Estel very near growled in reply.

The harshness of Estel's retort startled Eruanna. She'd never before seen the child so upset. Her face must have shown her surprise, for the young man's expression softened to one of shameful apology.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bark at you." Ashamed by his rudeness and ill temper, Estel looked away toward the river.

Eruanna, for her part, had long been awaiting this day. She suspected Elrond and the twins were unaware of the child's turmoil. Estel was clever at hiding his weaknesses from the ellyn he admired. He would not allow them to see the hurt their secrets caused him. Eruanna, however, was more akin to a 'kindly aunt' than a role model and so was more likely to bear witness to the child's hurts and frustrations.

Perhaps is was fate then, that of all the edhil living in Imladris, Eruanna knew more of the pain and betrayal Estel felt right now, for she too had been told by loved ones that she was not who she thought herself to be.

That thought brought with it a flood of memories and it was Eruanna's turn to stare at her hands. They were unchanged with the passage of time, as was the face that greeted her in the mirror each morning, but Eruanna knew that like Estel she, too, would not be entirely immune to its power. She'd long suspected that, like Elrond, more lines would appear on her hands and face as the ages passed. There was a time, of course, when Eruanna was unaware of that possibility, a time when she believed she was like everyone else.

"I was twenty-two when I learned the truth about _my_ father," she stated without preamble.

Estel was caught by the unexpected shift in conversation and his attention returned once more to his companion. He knew, of course, that Eruanna was half-elven. His brothers told him long ago when he asked how they always knew when he, ada, or Eruanna were near.

'_We can hear you, of course. Men have such a heavy step_,_' Elladan tusseled the young boy's hair. _

_Elrohir laughed deeply at the expression of annoyance that blossomed on the child's face as he attempted to flatten his unruly mane with his hands. 'Ada and Eruanna are quieter," Elrohir added, "but alas, to a trained elven warrior, even half-elven footfalls are like the sounding of trumpets." _

Estel pressed his brothers for more information about Eruanna's parents, but his brothers said it was not their story to tell. Estel reluctantly accepted their decision and soon forgot the matter entirely. His curiosity was renewed by the elleth's timely comment.

_Twenty-two years…at least Elrond didn't wait that long. _

"Why did they wait so long?" he asked her, unable to keep his natural curiosity at bay.

Eruanna drew up her knees, wrapping her arms around them as she did. "I suppose my grandparents could no longer hide the truth from me. I was growing too fast. At twenty an elf should still be but a child, while I was near full grown within that short span of years."

She'd retreated to her favorite tree overlooking the lake after receiving the news of her father. Her heart ached at the sharp memory. It marked the end of childhood.

"It felt as though my family had betrayed me by keeping this secret," she paused, remembering the hurt and how with time it slowly subsided. "It was out of love for me that my grandparents waited. They wished to protect me from the world and preserve my innocence for as long as they could. I did not understand at first, but I came to, in time."

Eruanna shifted her gaze to Estel. His eyes were fixed, as hers had been, on the shimmering waters. She knew he'd come to this hideaway for the same reason she'd fled to the safety of the branches…a place to escape, a place to think. Eruanna knew, also, that Elrond loved this mortal child as he did all the descendents of Elros. He wished only to protect this long removed nephew from the dangers of the world.

Eruanna laid her hand over the one that bore the ring. It was a heavy burden, greater than any Eruanna would ever know. She did not envy Estel his destiny, but in her heart, she knew he was more than worthy of whatever path Ilúvatar laid before him.

If there was one truth she'd learned by watching Estel grow, it was that honor and strength could live in the hearts of men.

She tightened her grip on the young man's hand in a gesture of comfort and support. "Your name is one of honor, but it carries with it a heavy burden. Elrond wanted your childhood to be joyful. He wished you to grow free from danger and without the weight of destiny upon you. It was for these reasons that he waited, not to cause you pain."

"I feel like I don't know who I am anymore." Estel had been unable to speak those words to Elrond and his brothers but they fell easily now from his lips.

"You are still Estel," she assured him, "but you are not a child anymore. Aragorn was the name given to you by your mortal kin. Aragorn is the man you will become. Elrond saw the makings of a man, a strong, noble man returned to him from the wilderness. If it were not so, he would not have given you the ring."

Eruanna stood gracefully, lifting a hand to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind Estel's round ear. It was time to leave the young man alone with his thoughts. "The sun is setting on childhood, Estel. Tomorrow you will wake, Aragorn, Lord of the Dúnedain. It will be the dawn of hope for men."

Eruanna turned away toward the path leading up to the house but before she could disappear into the wood a voice called softly after her.

"Thank you."

Eruanna cast a warm smile at the young man and in her most innocent voice offered a bit of advice she thought might very well alter the mortal's destiny for the better. "I know you prefer to walk the northern paths, Estel, but I would avoid them if I were you. Glorfindel has been plotting his revenge for over a year now."

Eruanna still wasn't certain what prank Estel and the twins played on Glorfindel to invite such a passionate response. What she did know, was that Glorfindel recruited a good many wardens to help carry out his reprisal. There were a long list of ellyn who'd been on the receiving end of the twins' humor and said ellyn were only too happy to offer Glorfindel aid. Now that Elladan and Elrohir could no longer hide behind 'little' Estel, a full scale war was about to erupt amid the peace of Elrond's house. Eruanna was quite looking forward to it.

Estel's eyes widened at the elleth's none too subtle warning, "Should I be worried?"

Eruanna made no reply, her expression, however, spoke volumes. "Good afternoon to you, Estel." With that, Eruanna disappeared into the darkening wood, abandoning Estel to his thoughts.

The meditative peace of the waters quieted Estel's mind and he was able to sift through the many thoughts and doubts that gnawed at his heart. Above the din of countless uncertainties, two truths rang clear in Estel's mind. Elrond loved him, and perhaps more importantly, Elrond believed in him. For as long as he could remember Estel trusted his father's wisdom and he would not begin to question it now. These truths ignited a spark of hope in his heart. The spark brightened into a flame.

Tired of warming the rock with his backside, Estel climbed to his feet, having no further need to remain by the river. With his spirits lifted, a lightness returned to his step. He made his way down from the precarious perch to the well trodden path with practiced ease. From there, he took to the southern slopes of the garden. The sweet fragrance of the elanor filled his lungs and he lifted his voice in song as he often did when a pleasant or sour mood took hold of him.

Years later, Eruanna would curse herself for warning him against taking the northern path, for as he wandered the southern greenway beneath the trees, Aragorn, son of Arathorn met the Lady Undómiel and the courses of both their stars were forever changed.


	41. The gift of men

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 41 – The gift of men**

**Third Age 2980 (29 years later)**

The dream was lifted by the deep, steady thrumming of the water. Its rhythmic tones held the power to lull her tired mind to sleep and call her back to the waking world. Eruanna's mind came slowly back into focus. She could feel the soft blanket, a thin barrier between her body and the sand. The songs of courting birds joined the water's symphony. Life was all around her. She knew it without even opening her eyes. From nearby, a contented sigh entered into the music. The edges of her mouth curled into a smile. She could feel his gaze dancing across her face. It was oddly comforting, knowing he watched over her while she slept.

"Are you spying on me again?" she purred, lips curling into a smile.

The dozing elleth's unexpected question startled Rumil momentarily. The corners of his lips curled as he watched a smile spread across her face and her eyes flutter open. "How can you tell?"

Eruanna's smile broadened into a grin and her eyes sparkled with humor. "You make these odd little sounds when you watch me sleep."

"Do I?" Rumil sounded surprised. He did not recall making a sound.

"You do," Eruanna assured him.

"I cannot help it," he tugged at her hair playfully. "You look so beautiful when you're asleep."

"And when I'm awake?" Eruanna's brow arched, warning Rumil to choose his words wisely.

_I walked right into that one, didn't I?_ Rumil mused, answering her challenge with a wry grin. "You are even more beautiful awake."

The air was still for several seconds before the two lovers burst into laughter. Eruanna inched closer to Rumil, where he sat reclining against the trunk of an ancient tree. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

"You are good," she laughed. He always did have the perfect answer for everything.

Rumil drew Eruanna into his arms and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He missed these quiet moments, sitting under the sun beside their waterfall. It brought such joy to his heart to hold her in his arms, and yet, in the midst of his mirth a shadow fell.

The road between Imladris and Lothlórien was perilous and each time Eruanna sent word that she was making the journey, part of him wanted her _not_ to come. She'd nearly died once and the roads were even more dangerous now then they were a century ago.

Eruanna felt Rumil's body tense beneath her as the silence lengthened. She lifted her eyes to study his face. He looked troubled. "What is wrong?"

Rumil's attention was drawn back to the elleth in his arms. "It is nothing," he told her, hurriedly pushing his unpleasant thoughts aside. He did not wish to ruin their short time together with dark meditations.

Eruanna's worry was not so easily cast aside. "It is something. Tell me."

Rumil glimpsed that familiar, determined look in Eruanna's eyes, the one she wore when they sparred on the training fields. She was not about to back down. Rumil took a deep breath, summoning all the strength he possessed. He needed it if he was to utter words his heart would prefer remain unspoken, "When you return to Imladris, stay there."

It was slightly more than a request, not quite a command.

Rumil's words should not have caught Eruanna off guard. She should have felt them coming. He always grew nervous in the days leading up to her departure.

Rumil continued, his voice growing stronger with every syllable expressed. "The roads have become too perilous. Sauron's orcs continue to multiply though he was driven out of Dol Guldur more than a century ago. A war is coming."

Rumil lifted Eruanna's chin so he could look into her eyes. "Promise me you will stay within the safety of strong borders until the war is won or the Eldar make their escape across the sea."

This time it was a request, one that could not be refused.

Eruanna did not know what to say. She knew Rumil was not overreacting. It had taken Arwen nearly three months to talk her father and Glorfindel into allowing them to travel again. The road _was_ perilous. In the last fifty years, Glorfindel doubled the number of wardens guarding Rivendell's borders and orc attacks increased threefold.

Eruanna didn't want to imagine how long it might be before she'd see Rumil again but she knew there was only one answer she could give him. She nodded slowly. The fear and urgency in Rumil's eyes reminded her that there was a pain greater than dwelling under different stars. She would not have Rumil worry for her when his mind should be on protecting Lórien. "I promise you, I will remain safely in Imladris until the war is over."

The fear gripping Rumil's heart loosened its hold. There was no way to describe the range of emotions that warred within him upon hearing those words. He pulled Eruanna close and kissed her deeply as if he feared she might depart this very moment and never return. He looked deep into Eruanna's eyes, searching within their depths for some hint of how to proceed. It seemed like ages ago that he'd asked her to stay with him beneath the mallorn trees. He knew better than to ask again; her answer would be the same. The House of Elrond needed her now but perhaps, if light prevailed and the Shadow was cast down…

Eruanna wondered at Rumil's thoughtful expression. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but fell silent before the words came out. "What are you thinking about?" she whispered softly.

Rumil's gaze returned to the elleth in his arms. He could always speak his heart to Eruanna, _speaking_ was never a problem. It was the asking that made him feel weak and utterly vulnerable. He feared her rejection more than any fell beast in all of Arda. Eruanna's eyes begged him to speak his thoughts. It was now or never, he realized with a start. There would be no more visits, no more lazy afternoons in the sun.

Rumil found himself voicing thoughts he'd pondered while guarding the borders, while sitting alone in his talan. "If Sauron is defeated," he whispered, "some edhil will remain awhile longer to help heal Middle Earth's wounds."

Eruanna listened quietly, not knowing quite what to say. "I suppose," was all she had the presence of mind to utter.

Rumil took a deep breath before plunging in to the heart of the matter. "Will you stay with me?"

Eruanna lifted herself to a seated position, a look of confusion painted on her lovely face. "You told me you wished to sail." It was not quite a question but did beg an explanation of Rumil's odd request.

Rumil nodded slowly, "I will sail, but before I depart I wish to walk freely along the shores of the Anduin… as I did in my youth." He studied her expression fearfully, waiting for an answer to his plea.

Eruanna's mind reeled at Rumil's request. He was asking her to remain behind with him after the others depart.

_Once Sauron is cast into the void and Elrond's house sails, there would be nothing to do but follow them._

Galadriel's mirror warned only of the coming darkness. When it lifted, Eruanna would be free, free to return to Lórien and dwell beneath the mallorn with Rumil. There was no question of what she wanted, the decision was already made.

"I will stay with you," she told him, "until you are ready to go into the West."

A joy Rumil had never known filled his eyes with her words. It was not that Rumil ever doubted that they would one day be together, but the uncertainty of_when_ long gnawed at his heart. He would kill every last orc in Middle Earth to see that blessed day. Rumil's mouth came crashing down on Eruanna. He did not know when they would next see each other and he wanted to savor the taste of her lips, the touch of her skin. He laid her down on the blanket they shared, tracing the lines of her face with the tips of his fingers.

Eruanna lifted a hand to Rumil's face and smiled sweetly at him while he placed playful kisses on her cheeks and forehead. Eruanna's laughter rang out across the lakeshore at Rumil's impish game. In the midst of her laughter her eyes caught sight of the sun. It was nearer to the horizon then when she'd fallen asleep. "It is late. We should make our way back to the city. I am having dinner with Arwen this evening."

Rumil looked up to see the sun nearing the tops of the trees. He cursed it silently for interrupting his fun. Rumil propped himself up on his elbow, a touch of disappointment reaching his eyes. He did not like sharing Eruanna with others when they had such little time to spend together. "I would not worry about keeping Lady Arwen waiting," he told her matter-of-factly.

Eruanna frowned at Rumil. She knew he didn't like to be separated from her when she visited, but he never before tried to keep her from her family. "You would have me arrive late for dinner?"

Rumil shook his head reading the misunderstanding clearly in Eruanna's eyes. "I only meant that Arwen went with Estel to Cerin Amroth this morning."

This statement seemed to hold a great significance for Rumil, a significance that was lost on Eruanna.

"And you don't think she'll return for dinner?" Eruanna did not quite understand Rumil's logic. After all, Cerin Amroth was not so far. Arwen had plenty of time to travel there and back again.

"I think they are likely to forget the time," he replied.

Rumil's cryptic responses were beginning to remind Eruanna of her conversations with Arwen's brothers. "And why is that?" Eruanna had never known Arwen to simply forget a meal or a promise made to a friend.

Rumil wondered at Eruanna's seeming ignorance. He'd thought the situation obvious enough. _Does she not see it?_ "I thought ellith were supposed to be more observant of such things," there was no humor in Rumil's voice when he spoke these words.

"What _things_?" Eruanna's question was laced with frustration. She was growing tired of this ridiculous conversation. Eruanna lifted herself to a seated position, one that made it easier to read the nuances of Rumil's expression and body language.

"They are in love," Rumil said slowly, praying that Eruanna was only pretending not to have noticed.

"Love?" Eruanna nearly choked on the word. "That is absurd. Estel is but a child!"

Rumil held his breath. He knew _Eruanna_ thought of Estel as a child, she helped raise him, after all. What she failed to see was that the Lord of the Dúnedain was not an elf, he was a Man and by their measure he was not a child. "Lady Arwen does not see him that way," Rumil replied gently.

"I do not believe it." Eruanna thought Rumil's declaration ridiculous in the extreme.

The warden smiled charmingly at her in an attempt to soothe the elleth's frustration. "Perhaps you have been too distracted by a charming, handsome ellon to notice."

"You think so?" Eruanna replied, oblivious to the intentional humor of Rumil's words.

"Hmmm," Rumil leaned in to place a kiss on Eruanna's cheek but she jumped to her feet before his lips landed.

"Then we must hurry back," she said to the disappointed looking ellon.

"Why?" Rumil had no real desire to put an early end to their quiet afternoon together and he was more than certain Arwen would be late for dinner.

"So I can prove you wrong. Let us be off." Eruanna moved quickly to pack up the few items they'd brought along to the lake. She even pulled the blanket out from under Rumil despite his childish protests.

Conceding defeat, Rumil stood gracefully. Eruanna would leave with or without him and he'd rather spend the next hour at her side then sulking beside the waterfall. Rumil knew he was right about Arwen and Estel, but he did not look forward to seeing how Eruanna would take the news.

Rumil offered Eruanna his arm. "As you wish, but do not be disappointed upon discovering that _you_ are the one who is wrong."

* * *

Three hours past their appointed meal time, Eruanna found herself climbing the long stair to the royal talan in search of Arwen. The guards nodded their greetings to her as she passed them in the long hall leading to the Lady's quarters. She reached her destination, hesitating only a moment before lifting a hand to knock upon the door. A minute later, the door swung open and Eruanna stood face to face with the one for whom she'd been searching.

"Did you forget our dinner plans?" Eruanna asked the Lady, who appeared rather surprised to see her standing in the hall.

Arwen's surprise morphed into an expression of deepest apology. "Oh Eruanna, forgive me! It completely slipped my mind." It was not in Arwen's nature to forget a promise made to a friend and she felt terribly for her absentminded mistake. She gestured the elleth hurriedly inside. "Please, come in."

Eruanna followed Arwen into her rooms. The Lady led them out onto the terrace where a platter of fruits and mixed nuts along with a carafe of wine sat on a serving table.

Eruanna studied the Lady carefully as she watched her move ever gracefully across the room to the table. They had an odd relationship, Arwen and Eruanna. Sometimes, Arwen played mother to the younger elleth, and at need, sister or friend. Still, there was something strange and distant about the beautiful Lady of Imladris, a secret she shared with no other. It always left Eruanna with the uncomfortable feeling that she did not know Arwen at all.

Though there be distance between them, Eruanna could see there was definitely something different about Arwen this evening. It was as if her entire being glowed with a hidden joy. Eruanna found herself staring quite openly at the Lady as she took a seat on a large settee and poured her guest a glass of wine.

Oblivious to her companion's intense appraisal, Arwen poured Eruanna a drink. She laid the now half empty pitcher down upon the table and held out the glass to Eruanna. It was only then that she noticed the elleth's concerned eyes upon her. "What?" she asked, lowering her outstretched arm to her lap.

"He was right," Eruanna could not keep her shock from seeping into the timber of her voice.

Arwen, for her part, had no idea what Eruanna was referring to. "_Who_ was right about _what_?" she asked, with a fair amount of humor in her eyes.

Eruanna could barely wrap her mind around the memory of Rumil's formerly absurd words. "Rumil said you were in love…with Estel."

Arwen's mask of good humor vanished, a cool, defensive façade was erected in its place. "You are displeased." She'd expected nothing less from the others, but somehow, the disappointment in Eruanna's eyes cut like a knife. Of all her loved ones, she'd thought Eruanna would understand.

Eruanna's mouth fell open in stunned silence. "_Displeased,_" she repeated the word, unsure of how to respond to the accusation. "I…no…_yes_! He is a child!" Eruanna could not believe she needed to point that out to an elleth who'd lived nearly three thousand years.

Arwen shook her head slowly. "He is not a child."

Not a child? _That_ was certainly debatable. Still, Eruanna had to admit, it was not Estel's age that ignited her panicked concern, but something far more dreadful. "He is mortal," Eruanna breathed the words as if they were poison.

"He is," Arwen's voice was soft and tinged with a great sadness.

Eruanna shook her head, her mind refusing to believe what she was hearing. She reached out a hand to grip the railing, lowering herself to the settee beside Arwen before she collapsed in shock. Her gaze fell to the ground but her eyes did not see the elegant design carved into the floor.

"I love him, Eruanna," the Lady said at last. It was a plea, a plea for understanding but Arwen saw little empathy in her companion's eyes.

Eruanna heard the desperation in Arwen's voice, her need for a kind word, but Eruanna could not quite find it within herself to offer one. This was not merely a matter of love. It was a matter of life and death, _Arwen's_ death. "You will die," she knew the statement unnecessary. Arwen knew well enough the price she would pay.

"I know," was the Lady's solemn reply.

Eruanna shook her head, unable to comprehend Arwen's easy acceptance of such an end. "Why would you choose this terrible fate?"

An odd, unexpected smile curled Arwen's lips at the elleth's question and a spark of humor lit her eyes.

"There is no humor in this, Arwen." Eruanna snapped at what she thought an improper reaction to her query.

Arwen's brief smile faltered and the light in her eyes dimmed to one of serious contemplation. "You are quite right, death is a serious matter. I am merely reminded of something Elrohir said to me long ago."

"And what would that be?" The tone of the question was somewhat harsh as Eruanna was not presently in the mood for the twins' witticisms. Arwen's answer was not what Eruanna was expecting.

"He said you were an elf, that you were _always_ an elf, just like ada."

Eruanna was caught off guard by the Lady's proclamation. It made little sense, seeing as she was neither an elf nor a man. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked the Lady in frustration.

Arwen sighed deeply before offering her companion an explanation of her words. "It means that you were destined to be counted among the Eldar, to sail west," she paused, holding Eruanna's gaze with sad, piercing eyes, "and _that_ is why you do not understand."

Eruanna's breath caught in her throat before she could protest. Had she not spent the past 300 years debating her choice? Was _she_ not the one who'd been struggling with whether or not to remain behind?

_No, that is not true_, she realized with a start, _I have only ever thought of not sailing. I have never really considered the idea of remaining behind to die._

Elrohir's words disturbed Eruanna profoundly. It appeared that like his father, the younger Lord of Imladris saw many things. Eruanna had no connection to the world of men, save for Estel. She had no connection to Middle Earth, no reason to remain once the elves were gone. Had he seen this at their first meeting or was this a more recent insight? Eruanna wished to know, but now was not the time for such questions.

Eruanna's mind returned to Arwen's choice and all that it entailed. A question struck her without warning, one that could not be ignored. "What will you tell your adar?"

A flood of memories returned to Eruanna, countless times that the Lord had spoken of the peace of Valinor, of being reunited with his wife with his children at his side. It was his sole source of hope, the light in the gathering darkness which allowed him to carry on, and it was about to be shattered like so many shards of glass.

The fearful cast of Arwen's eyes told Eruanna that she was not blind to this fact.

Arwen's mind whirled at the thought of her father. She loved him more than any ellon in Arda and she knew, too, that this parting would chip away at what remained of his broken heart. But the pain Arwen felt at losing her family was balanced by an equally powerful sting at the thought of abandoning Aragorn. She'd waited so long to find her soul's companion. "I will tell him I have made my choice," she said at last.

"He will try to dissuade you," Eruanna knew Elrond could be fearsome in anger. She found herself worried for Estel. The Lord of Imladris loved the man as his own son but Elrond's generosity would only extend so far where his daughter was concerned.

"He will," Arwen resigned herself to the unpleasant confrontation with her father, to angry words and broken hearts.

"As will I," Eruanna added. She would not and could not allow her beloved friend and sister to give up her life, not without a fight. She knew it was not the support Arwen had hoped for, but Eruanna would not offer the Lady false joy.

"I know," Arwen wrapped her arms around the smaller elleth in a tender embrace.

Eruanna wrapped her arms around Arwen, and once she did, Eruanna found she did not wish to let her go. She held on to the Lady fiercely.

Arwen rested her head against Eruanna's. Her voice, barely above a whisper, confessed a secret she'd long swore to keep from the elleth in her arms. "I have waited so long to find my soul's companion," she told the younger elleth. "I envied you so, when you found Rumil."

Eruanna pulled away slightly and looking into the Lady's face, she saw the truth of Arwen's words. It was disconcerting to imagine Arwen jealous of_her_. Still, three thousand years was a long time to wait for one's mate. Perhaps Arwen was mistaken; perhaps it was out of loneliness that she turned to Estel. "You are certain Estel is the one?"

Arwen laughed and raising a brow answered Eruanna's question with another. "Are you certain of Rumil?"

Eruanna's eyes widened momentarily. Elrohir was the last one to ask her that question. At the time, she had no answer.

"For a long time, I tried to convince myself I wasn't certain, but now," she paused, trying to find the right words, "now, I think I loved Rumil from the moment I first laid eyes on him."

It was a strange thought, for she'd labored long in those early years to justify her feelings, to find fault in Rumil or deny the strength of their bond. It was fear that made her push him away but when the years spent apart failed to lessen their affection or longing for one another, the truth of her feelings became clear and the uncertainty melted away.

Arwen saw by the expression on Eruanna's face that she'd never before acknowledged this to anyone, even herself. She answered Eruanna's question with a mischievous smile. "I knew even upon our first meeting, though he was yet a yearling and called me Tinúviel. It was as if I was standing before my grandmother's mirror, seeing my future laid out before me."

Eruanna frowned at that, but a touch of humor lit her eyes. "I shouldn't have warned him off the northern path," she muttered in defeat.

"I doubt it would have made much of a difference," Arwen laughed freely, some of her former mirth replacing the sadness in her heart. "We were bound to meet at the dinner table."

Eruanna conceded that with a small nod. Her thoughts wandered back to the reason for her advice to Estel. "I don't know why I bothered. Glorfindel got him and your brothers eventually. I don't think they made it a week."

Arwen's smile brightened, claiming her entire countenance. "They did look incredibly silly strung up in those trees, didn't they?"

A rather unladylike snort issued from Eruanna at the memory. "My stomach hurt for days, I laughed so hard."

Arwen's light laughter joined with her sister's, "The expression on ada's face was priceless. I will never forget it."

Arwen's joy dimmed once more at the thought of her father. She laid a hand on Eruanna's, gripping it firmly. "Will you do something for me, Eruanna?" she asked.

Eruanna's laughter faded at the urgency of Arwen's request. "You know I would do anything for my family," she reminded the Lady.

Eruanna could not have offered more encouraging words; for that was precisely the response Arwen had hoped for. The Lady took a deep, unsteady breath before making her request. "I do not know what life awaits you in Valinor, but I would ask you not to forget ada or my brothers. I know one child can never replace another, but they love you." She offered the younger elleth a kind, hopeful smile. "Perhaps your presence will have some power to soften the pain of my loss."

Eruanna shook her head slowly. It was a hopeless task, as far as Eruanna was concerned. Nothing could replace the grace of Arwen Undómiel, not in her brothers' hearts and surely not in her father's. "I do not believe anything in Arda can ease such a pain," Eruanna told her, but at the sight of Arwen's troubled eyes, she consented to the Lady's 'dying' request. "But even so, I will not forget them. I will watch over Elrond as you have these many years and I will play sister when Elrohir and Elladan have need of one."

An oddly humorous expression spread across Eruanna's face at those final words.

"What is so amusing?" Arwen asked.

Eruanna sighed theatrically, "I shall have to learn to make that glare of disapproval you always give your brothers when they are up to no good. I don't know _how_ you manage to keep a straight face."

Arwen's laughter rang out into the night. It had taken many long years to perfect her glare. The Lady found the thought of passing on that expression to Eruanna strangely comforting, as if a piece of her might remain forever with her loved ones, be it only a scowl on the face of another. "Never fear," Arwen assured her, a mischievous grin spreading across her face, "I will show you precisely how it is done."


	42. Destiny Part 1

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 42 – Destiny (Part 1)**

**Third Age 3018 (38 years later)**

Eruanna ran through the halls of Imladris, her footfalls echoing loudly upon the bare stone walls. The tapestries were long gone, the paintings sent across the sea. The time had come to leave Middle Earth.

Arwen departed last night. It had not been a dream. Eruanna remembered kissing her sister's cheek and looking out across the dell until the last marching figure passed out of sight. But not ten minutes ago, in the stables, she spied Arwen's horse munching happily on a bale of hay. It took a moment for the noble animal's presence to register in her mind.

_Arwen's returned. _

She took off at a pace toward the House, so swiftly Glorfindel would have laughed that she ran from a band of yrch. He would have been mistaken. The stab of pain she felt now hurt a thousand times more than any orc blade.

She reached the door to Arwen's rooms but stopped upon the threshold. She had no words… but it didn't matter now. Steeling herself, she threw the door open and stepped inside without awaiting an invitation.

There she was. Seated on a low divan, head bowed, staring into the pages of a small book, the weight of her long years and the finality of her choice etched in every line of her porcelain face. The silence between them extended for what seemed like an eternity.

Arwen did not raise her eyes to meet the intruder. She only breathed a tired sigh at the younger elleth's long awaited arrival.

"I could not leave him."

There was more passion and pain in those five simple words than the whole of the Lay of Leithian contained. This was Arwen's choice and Eruanna knew it would haunt the Lady's loved ones forever.

"Does he know?" There was no need for Eruanna to clarify the ellon in question.

Arwen lifted her eyes from the page, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"He was very upset when I left him," she lifted a handkerchief to wipe the tears from her eyes, "but he knows this choice cannot be unmade…not by his will."

"Where is he?" Eruanna asked, her concern turning now from the Lady to her father.

Arwen smiled sadly, "I left him in his study."

Eruanna nodded and turned toward the door. In the last forty years, through all the days that passed, Eruanna found it impossible to offer Arwen words of support. At first she'd made gentle, pleading attempts to turn Arwen's heart away from Estel, and when that failed, she fell silent. But today, today she had to say something...

"I have no gift of foresight," Eruanna whispered. She did not look back at the Lady when she spoke, but kept her gaze firmly fixed on the ornately carved doorframe. Her thoughts, however, were not on the crafted wood but on a young mortal child she once held in her arms.

The words she'd long struggled to find now formed easily in her mind and they flowed like water down the mountainside. "I do not know for certain what tomorrow will bring…but I _believe_ in Estel. I believe he will be victorious and you will be a Queen of Men. It is not the fate many of your loved ones would have chosen for you, but I think, perhaps, it was written long ago when the world was young and the Music, unmarred, still echoed in the wind. And so, if Ilúvatar wishes you to be counted among Men, who am I to argue?"

Eruanna slipped silently out the door but before it closed behind her she heard a quiet sob from inside the room accompanied by a softly spoken, _thank you_.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ This is the first part of a longer chapter but since I haven't posted in ages I'm splitting it up so you get something to read. _


	43. Destiny Part 2

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 42 – Destiny (Part 2)**

Eruanna walked swiftly down the hall leading to Erestor's study. He would be there already, no doubt. The ellon was an early riser. He probably already knew of Arwen's return.

She entered the room to find Erestor staring absently out the window toward the falls. He turned his face toward her in acknowledgement.

The sadness Eruanna saw in his eyes broke the fragile calm she'd maintained since leaving Arwen's room. Like an elfling, Eruanna found herself wishing that Erestor would tell her everything would be alright. She wanted even more to believe it.

Erestor moved to Eruanna's side before the first tear broke free and wrapped her tightly in his arms. He did not ask her why she cried. He knew the answer already.

_Arwen. _

A stab of pain shot through Erestor's heart. Arwen was not _his_ child, but he loved her just the same. How could he not? He was there the night she was born. He watched over her when her parents were away, and taught her everything he knew. Her smiling face had greeted him each morning for nearly three thousand years.

_How can her father bear it? _

Erestor kissed the top of Eruanna's head and his arms tightened around her at the sudden realization that she, too, might have chosen Arwen's path, had Rumil not won her heart. He could not imagine the pain he would have felt, leaving Eruanna behind to die.

"I cannot imagine losing you," Erestor whispered.

Eruanna looked up into the ellon's face with tear filled eyes. "You will not."

Erestor lifted a hand to brush away the strands of hair that had fallen across Eruanna's face. "I shall have to convince Rumil to join Elrond's house so you will never be far away," he whispered, placing another kiss on her forehead.

Eruanna smiled, "You can be quite convincing when you wish to be."

"Hmm, a useful gift for a father to have," Erestor agreed.

His words drew a smile from Eruanna but it faded quickly as her eyes fell on the inner door that connected their study with Elrond's.

"Have you seen Lord Elrond this morning?" she asked while wiping away the last of her tears with her sleeve.

Erestor looked toward the door that joined their office with Elrond's, "No, but he's in there."

"Are you certain?"

Erestor's response to her query was slow and deliberate. "I heard him." As he spoke these words, the Counselor's expression morphed from one of sadness to concern.

The change in Erestor's countenance was not missed by Eruanna, nor was his carefully chosen response.

"You heard their argument?" she pressed gently. It was obvious Erestor was struggling with what to tell her. He was very protective of his Lord.

Erestor appeared lost in thought and when Eruanna received no response to her question she placed a hand on her father's arm, "Ada?"

Erestor's gaze shifted from the door to Eruanna's face. A deep well of concern shone in her eyes. It was their intensity that broke him. "I heard their voices, but not what was said." He took a deep breath, adding, "After Arwen departed, I heard the sound of breaking glass."

Eruanna's eyes widened at this revelation. "He smashed something?" she uttered in disbelief.

"Multiple somethings, if my ears serve me."

Eruanna's gaze fell once more upon the adjoining door. "Why did you not go to him?"

"I think he would rather be alone right now."

Before Erestor could finish that sentence Eruanna was moving for the door.

"_Eruanna_," it was a meant as a warning, but lacked the necessary force to make it so.

The elleth glanced back over her shoulder. Her father may believe Lord Elrond should be left to mourn on his own, but Eruanna did not. "If he wishes me to leave...," her voice trailed off as she took hold of the door handle.

Erestor opened his mouth to protest but fell silent at the pleading look in Eruanna's eyes. Erestor _did_ wish to check on Elrond but he did not believe his company would be appreciated. Eruanna was a different matter entirely. Erestor was witness to the bond of kinship that was formed between the Lord of Imladris and the young elleth. They understood one another as no one else could. The tiny quirks and eccentricities Erestor always noted about the pair went unmarked between them. It made Erestor wonder how strange elven behavior must seem to the two peredhil. Perhaps that was why Eruanna was so determined to be at Elrond's side in this dark moment, when any elf would rightfully keep their distance.

Erestor picked up a pile of papers that required the Lord's attention and handed it to her, an excuse, as it were, to break Elrond's solitude.

Letters in hand, Eruanna walked determinedly through the storeroom and into Elrond's study.

"Lord Elrond?" she called softly, scanning the room briefly before her eyes found him.

The scene was familiar. She'd seen it before - years ago in Galadriel's mirror when she'd watched herself holding a dark haired ellon as he wept on the floor. She moved slowly toward the kneeling figure, placing the stack of papers on his desk as she passed. Elrond held something in his hand. It was a shard of glass. She watched as he tightened his grip on the jagged fragment. It cut deep into his hand and small drops of blood fell from his clenched fist to the floor.

Elrond knew he was no longer alone. He'd heard Eruanna's footsteps as she entered the room but did not spare her a glance. His gaze remained fixed on the vase that lay shattered in a million pieces on the ground. Something bit into his flesh. He looked down. He'd picked up one of the sharper pieces, cutting his palm and fingers as his hand closed around it. The pain was nothing compared to the aching of his heart.

_Of all the things I could have broken…_

"Arwen made it for me. It was a gift." He dropped the broken fragment, now painted red with his blood. "I wasn't thinking."

These words were not meant for Eruanna but she heard them just the same. She took another step closer but the ellon still failed to acknowledge her. Instead, his head fell into his hands, a guttural cry issuing from his lips. The pain of it rent Eruanna's soul. Without thought to station or propriety she fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around the shattered being before her just as she'd done in her vision. Eruanna rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes against the tears the great Lord's sobs evoked. One of Elrond's hands reached up to find hers and he clasped it tightly. It bled still and Eruanna could feel the warmth of the liquid upon her own hands. She did not pull away. It was only blood, after all. Enough of her own had stained the healer's hands when he'd treated her wounds.

_If only Lord Elrond's hurts were so easily mended._

Eruanna held him in silence for what might have been as brief as a minute…or as long as an age. Time seemed to fade away. There was only the sound of a breaking heart, an echo of the shattered glass that glittered on the floor.

When there were no tears left to shed, Elrond's breathing calmed. The sadness that weighed upon his heart freed his tongue and his voice was leaden with despair.

"Why do they leave me?" He wished to cry these words from the mountaintops, but they came instead in a choked whisper.

_They?_ Eruanna's mind raced. She'd been prepared for Arwen…but a sudden flash of clarity hit her. She should have known. Arwen was merely the tipping point. The pain that brought this ancient being to his knees was long in the making and not born from the loss of his daughter alone. She did not know how to answer the Lord's question but a tiny voice urged her to speak.

"Whom do you speak of?" she asked him, lifting her head as she did so. She knew the answer before it was made.

"Everyone," he replied softly. "My parents, Elros and Gil-galad, my wife and daughter…perhaps my sons, too, in time…there are so many."

Eruanna did not know what to say to this ellon who'd known such loss.

She knew the people he spoke of, and not simply from the books she'd read. From her earliest days in his house, Elrond had shared with her stories of them. Happy memories he kept close to his heart. He never spoke of their passing or the pain he felt at their loss. He didn't need to; she'd seen it in his eyes. It was always there beneath the surface.

Eruanna shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to find the right words. What was it she'd said to Arwen about destiny? _Our lives were written in the Music._ It seemed such a pale and childish thing to say in the face of Elrond's pain, but Eruanna believed what she'd said to Arwen. She believed it with her heart and soul. She knew Elrond believed in the Music as well… the pain had momentarily blinded him.

Eruanna found her voice, and a memory Elrond was not likely to forget. "Did you not tell me once that Ilúvatar has a destiny for each of us?"

Elrond took a deep, steadying breath, searching his memory for that particular conversation. "I did. When you were lying in the healing ward, surprised you were not dead." He smiled slightly at the memory, "I said He had not written that you should leave us so soon."

Eruanna smiled as well, remembering the skeptical look she gave the healer when he spoke those words. "I asked if you really believed our paths were written. You told me that you did."

Elrond remembered the conversation vividly now. He'd not hesitated when offering his answer.

_What has changed?_ he mused.

_Nothing_.

No, nothing had changed. He believed. "I still believe what I said to you that day."

Eruanna gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Then you know they did not abandon you," she whispered, "They merely followed the path He laid out for them."

Elrond closed his eyes, bringing that line of reasoning to its conclusion, "and I was always meant to lose them."

Eruanna shook her head, though Elrond could not see the gesture. "Not all of them. Not forever. You will see your parents again, your wife and Gil-galad. They are not lost."

"Some of them are… lost forever, or at least, until the world is remade." Elrond shifted himself to a seated position and turned to face Eruanna. Her eyes were sad and tears still glistened in her eyes. He'd not meant to cause her grief. These burdens belonged to him alone. It was not right to lay them on another. "Forgive me. I should not lay my heart's troubles on you."

Eruanna studied the Lord's face carefully. He was clearly uncomfortable, allowing her to see him in such a state.

_But who else would offer him comfort?_

She could not imagine any other elf in Imladris sitting on the floor of Elrond's study, speaking with him of Music and destiny. Even Erestor held back. She did not know if it was nature that kept the elves at a distance or years of careful routine. It didn't really matter. The result was the same.

"Who else would you share your troubles with?" she asked him, though she knew what he would say.

"No one," he stated simply. It was the burden of being a Lord _and_ a peredhel. For most of his life there had been no one else with whom he could speak freely. Elrond recalled the last being he'd ever been able to fully confide in. Memories of a face, so like his own, began to rise but were interrupted by Eruanna's soft voice.

"Then I think it better that you share them with me."

Eruanna wasn't sure that Elrond would agree. He was a reserved ellon to begin with and many millennia separated them in age. They were not peers, but they were kin, of a sort.

Elrond studied the young elleth carefully. He wanted so much to unburden his soul, but he was wary of sharing his secrets with others. It was not something he did often. Not since Celebrían departed had he felt free to unburden his soul, and even then, Elrond was aware there were things his wife did not, _could not_ fully understand. "It has never been easy...," he paused, trying to find the right words, "Elves do not always understand and men's lives are short. There is scarcely time to learn them before they are gone."

Eruanna shrugged slightly, "I am not an Elf or a Man."

Elrond needed no reminder. "I know," he smiled slightly. "We are the same, you and I. Perhaps that is why I find it so difficult to stay silent."

It was a bit disconcerting, how easy it was to talk with Eruanna. He often found himself sharing stories of his life with her at odd moments. Things he'd told no one else.

"I should not feel so at ease," he said mostly to himself.

Eruanna's brow rose in question, "Because I am a child?"

She could understand that, if he thought she was still too young to act as a confidant. She doubted it was her station as Erestor's assistant that made her unfit. After all, she was privy to much information that others in the household were not. She would never share anything told to her in confidence.

"No," he admitted after a moment's thought. "You have not been a child for some time."

She was curious now. "Then why should there be silence between us?"

Elrond sighed heavily, "There are some things best left unspoken."

Eruanna was not sure if Elrond believed that or if he was simply searching for an excuse to end their conversation. "I would not repeat anything you say to me," she assured him.

"I know you would not. It is only…."

Elrond paused, lifting his eyes to hers as if searching for something. Eruanna had no idea what that 'something' could be.

A tired sigh escaped him and he averted his eyes, locking them firmly on the stone hearth. "I fear you will not understand."

"I can make no promises, for I have not yet heard your words," was her reply.

A small laugh escaped him at that. "Such wisdom," he murmured.

Elrond struggled with whether or not to say what had been weighing on him for many long years. He chose his words carefully.

"Of all those I have lost, my brother's death was the hardest to bear." Memories of Elros rose to the surface of Elrond's thoughts.

"Though in form we were barely distinguishable, we were not much alike in character. We argued constantly, over one thing or another. I recall an argument we had, though I can not now remember its cause. It ended with me shouting at him in anger. I said I wished he would vanish into the mountains so I would be free of him.

Elrond's eyes grew sad at the memory. "In the innocence of my youth, I had no idea how empty life would be without him. But I learned soon enough."

He looked away from Eruanna so she would not see the tears he felt forming in the corners of his eyes. "When he was gone I was alone, _truly_ alone, for the first time in my life." He paused then, fearing the slight trembling of his voice.

After regaining control of his emotions, he continued. "The Eldar have a long memory. Many could not forget how they were betrayed by Men in what should have been their hour of victory over Morgoth. And though I was descended from great elven houses, it was my mortal heritage that marked me. I was looked upon with great suspicion in those early years; even Erestor would not dare turn his back on me."

Elrond looked down upon the glittering fragments of glass like so many hopes and dreams destroyed. They mocked him. "I prayed nightly that I would meet another peredhel…a brother to share my secrets with, or perhaps an elleth born of both worlds with whom I could live out my days."

"It did not happen," Eruanna's voice held a note of sadness.

"I waited. I waited 1500 years." The frown curling the corners of his mouth as he spoke these words slowly morphed into a smile, "and then, like a sign from Ilúvatar I saw her…Celebrían. I knew, in that very moment, that I would love her forever and when I finally held her in my arms, I was able to push aside the loneliness that held me captive for so long."

The smile that graced Elrond's face was fleeting. It faded along with the happy memories of his wife.

"After Celebrían sailed I thought my heart would break. Alas, for the strength of my mortal blood, it kept on beating." He looked down contemptuously at his injured hand. "In some ways, the strength of our mixed blood is our greatest weakness, for I _wished_ to fade, if only so I could sail with her into the West and leave my burdens behind."

Elrond fell silent then. A shadow fell across his face as thoughts and dreams of what 'might have been' passed in a flurry through his mind. They all led him to the same place…here, now, in this room. It had become a confessional. Elrond knew he should stop now. He'd said too much already. It was not right.

"There is more," Eruanna whispered. She could see it in Elrond's eyes. The battle he fought within himself. The silence he'd kept for so long. Whatever it was he feared to tell her struggled to be heard.

Elrond shook his head slightly, "You will think ill of me."

Eruanna was taken aback by the Lord's declaration. She was certain there was nothing he could tell her that would change her opinion of him. "That is not possible."

Elrond was not so sure he agreed. Still, he'd wanted to tell her this for some time now despite his better judgment.

_Do I seek forgiveness?_

No, it was more than that.

_I want someone to understand. _

The secret formed on his lips and he let it fall. "I nearly refused your grandfather's request to grant you sanctuary." Elrond watched Eruanna's expression for signs that his words had hurt her, but he saw only surprise and a growing measure of curiosity.

It was the last thing Eruanna expected Elrond to say and it made little sense looking back. Lord Elrond had never been anything but kind to her. He'd always assured her that she would have a place in Imladris and wherever his house settled in Valinor. She did not want to imagine what the last five hundred years may have been like had he refused her a home.

"Why?"

Elrond knew well enough the reason and the guilt of it weighed heavily upon his heart. "I was angry," he breathed, "angry at Ilúvatar, that He should send me the one thing I prayed for in my youth two ages too late. Not since Elros departed had I heard laughter like my own or the footsteps of another peredhel."

Eruanna was silent for a long while. She'd never considered how her sudden arrival in Imladris might have affected its Lord. She found herself sending up a silent prayer of thanks that Elrond had not allowed his emotions to sway him. "You said yes… despite your feelings."

Elrond's expression grew distant and intense, "I could not cast you aside, the one thing I'd wanted for so long. I would have given my life just to hear your voice, the sound of your laughter, to know if your eyes closed in sleep. I didn't want to be alone anymore."

Eruanna could scarcely imagine what it must have been like for Elrond, living so many thousands of years, the only one of his kind. Yes, Eruanna could understand loneliness. It was not the idea that troubled her. What she wondered at was how one could feel lonely when surrounded by kin.

"What about your sons and Arwen? Are they not peredhil as well? They too are given the choice."

Elrond shook his head sadly, "It is not the same. Though their hearts might lean toward men, in form and manner they have always been closer to elves. I knew it was so from the moment I first laid eyes upon them."

Eruanna had never given much thought before now to the differences between Elrond's children and herself…aside from their greater beauty, of course. Rumil might think _she_ was the most beautiful elleth in Arda, but _he_ saw through the eyes of love. Eruanna had to admit, had she been ignorant of their parentage, she would never have guessed Arwen or her brothers possessed mortal blood. She did not doubt that the three shared many qualities with Men, but they were well hidden beneath an immortal façade.

Eruanna lifted her eyes to find Elrond lost in thought. She could see he was not finished. There was something more he wished to tell her, but she could not guess what it might be. It seemed to cause him great distress and that bothered her. She'd not come here to add to the Lord's troubles.

"I am humbled you trust me enough to share these thoughts, my Lord, but do not feel obliged to say any more. I did not come here to add to your burdens but to lighten them."

There _was_ one thing more, but Elrond's voice failed him. How could he explain what his heart scarcely understood…how the course of his life might have been changed had he met her in his youth? How could he tell Eruanna he knew with certainty that had their paths crossed before he first looked upon Celebrían, his heart would have belonged to her?

He could not. There were some things best left unsaid, at least for now. Perhaps, in the time, when he held Celebrían in his arms and it did not feel so much like betrayal, he could find the words. For now he would be content with keeping that secret to himself.

He lifted a hand to Eruanna's cheek. "You have lightened them. I thank you for that."

"You have done the same for me many times," she replied with a smile, ignorant of the thoughts that only moments ago swept through Elrond's mind.

Elrond withdrew his hand and looked around the room, surveying the mess he'd made.

Eruanna followed Elrond's gaze. She knew what he was thinking. "I'll help you clean up," she offered.

Elrond rose gracefully and offered Eruanna his hand. It was when she reached out to take it that he finally realized her hands were covered with his blood. "Your hands," he pulled the elleth swiftly to her feet before heading straight to the corner table. He filled a small washbowl with water. "Here, wash them."

Eruanna laid her hands in the cool water and rubbed them together watching the clear liquid darken. "Thank you," she said, drying her hands on her skirts. "You should have a healer look at that," she gestured to his hand with a glint of humor.

"I'll take care of it. Istuion will ask too many questions."

Eruanna's smile broadened. She could only imagine what the old healer would say. Her eyes looked back to the broken vase and other items that lay scattered on the floor. "I will fetch a broom. I think there is one in the hall closet."

Elrond shook his head. "There is no need. It was my tantrum; I should be the one to clean it up."

"It's no trouble," Eruanna assured him gently, "and besides, it will make us even."

"Even?" Elrond's brow rose in question.

"For the time you helped me put the library back in order, although I must admit to getting the better end of the deal." Eruanna looked appraisingly around the room. "I doubt it will take as long to sweep up as it did to re-alphabetize the collected histories of the Elder Days."

"No, I don't think so," Elrond smiled at the fond memory of those hours they'd spent together reshelving those books. It had been a dark moment in the young elleth's life. He was glad to have been there to help her through it.

Eruanna headed for the door but before she could get there was called back.

"Eruanna," Elrond called after her and she turned to him with questioning eyes. He wanted to thank her, thank her for listening, for holding his hand, for comforting him. But _'thank you'_ seemed so pale, so weak in comparison to the gratitude in his heart. And just as he was about to speak, he saw it, the light in her eyes, the tiniest expression of understanding that told him that words were unnecessary.

Elrond smiled, and falling back into his role of Lord of Imladris exhaled deeply before adding, "Tell Erestor I thank him for his restraint, but I think it is time we got to work on today's missives."

Eruanna's smile brightened at the sound of Elrond's voice, as she'd always remember it, strong and steady.

"I will."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ I had no intention of making this story into an Elrond romance. It doesn't make sense to me. What does make sense is an ellon looking back at his life and seeing how things might have been different. Three chapters left. I can't wait._


	44. Parting words

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 43 – Parting Words**

**Third Age 3019 **

Eruanna strolled through the palace gardens, passing numerous courtiers along the way. When she first arrived in Minas Tirith the stares she received from its many inhabitants made her uncomfortable. Now, after several days of such attention, she'd found herself more able to ignore them. They were not her concern. Right now she sought one she'd barely had chance to see since her arrival. She'd wanted to speak with him once more before departing and time was running out.

The sun had nearly reached the horizon when she finally heard the low rumbling of a familiar voice and followed the sound to its owner. The voice led her deeper into the garden. She found three men sitting together in a secluded corner, cordoned off by large walls of shrubbery. The space overlooked the many levels of the city and seemed a perfect hideaway from the palace court. The three men looked up at the sudden and silent appearance of the intruder. There was a moment of alarm in their eyes at having allowed themselves to be snuck up upon. The tenseness of battle had yet to wear off.

Eruanna placed her hand upon her heart and bowed her head in respectful acknowledgement. "Forgive the interruption, my Lords. I was told King Aragorn was enjoying the gardens. I did not realize he had company."

Aragorn bowed his head slightly to the new arrival. He'd felt very uncomfortable having his elven family bowing and speaking to him as though they were strangers. It was Elladan who reminded the new King that _not _to do so would offend the people of Gondor. It was Arwen who brokered the compromise. When in public, she and Aragorn would be addressed by their Gondorian titles and greeted with a formal 'elven' bow.

"There is no interruption, Lady Eruanna." He placed a hand on the shoulder of the large blond man at his side. "We were merely helping Éomer escape the many court ladies who've taken an interest in the new King of Rohan."

"Ahh, yes," Eruanna's eyes filled with humor. She'd observed the ridiculous behavior of the young courtiers whenever the King of Rohan appeared. Their twittering reminded her much of Marilla.

The King of Rohan was not the only male to receive an inordinate amount of female attention. Elladan and Elrohir mentioned the same when Arwen's company arrived in the city.

She laughed lightly, addressing Aragorn, "Your brothers have found themselves similarly pursued."

"So I've heard," the King chuckled at a recent memory of Elrohir. He wished to have his quarters moved after discovering one of the more forward Ladies hiding in his bedchamber.

Eruanna's gaze shifted then to the third man, the one she'd seen in the company of the Lady of Rohan, "And what of you, my Lord? Has the same ill fate befallen the Steward of Gondor?"

The man blushed slightly before answering, "I'm afraid I've already been ensnared."

Eruanna's eyes smiled, "Lady Éowyn is quite a remarkable woman."

Eruanna learned much of Éowyn's tale of bravery from Arwen, and sat slightly in awe of the golden haired child. Eruanna had been so timid at that tender age. Even after centuries of training she could scarcely imagine donning a suit of armor and marching off to war. The tale of this young woman was fast becoming legend. Her deeds would live long in the memory of Men, and Eruanna was determined that those in the West should hear of her courage as well.

"That she is," the King of Rohan agreed, though his eyes lingered on the Steward when he said this.

Aragorn saw in Eruanna's eyes her desire to speak with him. It seemed each member of Elrond's house had sought him out for a private word these last few weeks. Now that he was King, it was not so easy to find a free moment to speak with friends. He looked to the two men in his company, "Will you excuse us?"

The two men nodded immediately, their eyes moving from the elf to the King.

"Of course, my King," the Steward bowed to Aragorn as did the new King of Rohan.

"My Lady," the two men nodded in acknowledgement before departing.

Eruanna followed them with her eyes. The two Lords hid their curiosity better than the courtiers and common men of Gondor. Eruanna moved to the wall overlooking the lower levels of the city. She could see the tiny people below, so many men working and living and dying together in this great city.

"They look at me strangely," Eruanna said offhandedly.

Aragorn was not certain if Eruanna referred to the people below or the men who'd recently departed. He moved to stand beside her and looked out over the city. "Whom do you refer to?"

"The people of Gondor," Eruanna shifted her gaze to their King wondering what his reaction to her words might be.

Aragorn could not suppress a burst of laughter at his companion's expense. _Of course they do._ "They have rarely glimpsed such beauty," he told her with all honesty.

An undignified bark of disbelief escaped Eruanna, "Men must have poorer eyesight than I imagined."

Aragorn shook his head kindly, "Our eyes work just fine," he assured her. "They see an elf, immortal and fair, when they look upon you."

"I am only half-elven," Eruanna reminded him.

Aragorn looked out at the darkening sky and the specks of light beginning to appear. "The stars in the sky may shine at different intensities, but they are all captivating…and untouchable."

"Not for some," Eruanna said sharply, her eyes moving from the dim lights in the sky to the King.

"No," she had him there.

Eruanna's eyes fell once more on the lower levels. Lamplight shimmered in the countless windows giving the city a hauntingly beautiful glow. "The city is breathtaking."

"It is," Aragorn agreed.

"I did not know men were capable of creating works of such skill and beauty," Eruanna admitted after a time.

"I thought you were a great master of lore," Aragorn said in jest, but in truth, he found his childhood teacher's ignorance on any subject something of a surprise.

"I never cared much for tales of men. Erestor handled that part of your education," she reminded him.

Aragorn looked thoughtful for a moment. Nearly every member of Elrond's house had a hand in his early education. Eruanna never once avoided his questions about Men, but now that he thought about it, she was never his primary source for information about them. He learned more about his people from Erestor than from Eruanna. Aragorn understood, of course. How could he not?

"I understand your distrust of Men," Aragorn admitted quietly. "It was not too long ago that I thought little of my people. After growing up among elves, I could see only our weaknesses."

Eruanna turned her back on the great city, resting slightly against the stone wall. "Elves have weaknesses too," she said with all seriousness.

"That they do."

It had, of course, taken Aragorn many years to identify even one single characteristic of the elves that could be construed as such.

Eruanna studied Aragorn's face. His eyes held much wisdom, perhaps more than one raised as an elf or man alone could possess. It seemed to Eruanna that he aged decades these last few months and in a few short years, he would be gone. She shuddered at the thought.

Aragorn was lost in his own thoughts as well. He was grateful to the elleth that stood beside him and not only for her care and attention during his early years. "Arwen told me of your words. I thank you for them."

"I always believed in you, Aragorn, and I have only ever wished for Arwen's happiness. She has been a sister to me, a friend," Eruanna averted her eyes, unable to face the child when she added, "though I did do all I could to change her mind."

Had Eruanna been courageous enough to look at the mortal King she would have seen nothing but understanding in his eyes.

"I would have done the same in your place," Aragorn told her.

"It frightens me, this fate Arwen has chosen. And yet, when she is with you the light that shines in her eyes is brighter than the sun."

Eruanna turned to Aragorn and lifted her hand to the King's cheek. She tried to remember his lined and graying face as it looked in his youth. _Sweet__Estel,_ "I pray both your days will be filled with joy."

"Thank you," Aragorn's voice was thick with emotion.

Eruanna withdrew her hand as tears threatened to overwhelm her, "I will miss you both, dearly."

"You are always welcome in Gondor, should you wish to remain in Middle Earth awhile longer," he assured her.

Aragorn's thoughtfulness and generosity warmed her hear, but Eruanna had other plans. "I thank you for your offer, but I think I have kept Rumil waiting long enough."

* * *

The elves accompanied the funeral escort of King Théoden to Edoras. There was the last parting of Arwen Undomiel and her kin; one final chance to say goodbye. Elrond and Arwen disappeared into the hills the day before their departure. Eruanna kept a close eye on him after their return. He seemed sad but resigned to the fate his daughter had chosen. He spent much of that night looking West from Meduseld toward the sea. Eruanna watched over him in silence as the others celebrated within the hall. She promised Arwen she would watch over him, and she did, just as she promised. 

When the remaining company was ready to depart Eruanna stood before Arwen with a gift in her hand. She'd waited until their final parting to deliver it. "This is for you," Eruanna passed Arwen a small hand bound leather volume.

Arwen opened the front cover and flipped through its pages. The book was filled with images of Imladris and Lórien, of family members and friends, elves at work and play. One image in particular brought her to tears. It was of four figures sitting together in the Hall of Fire. Arwen recognized Elrohir's animated gestures, Elladan's incorrigible smile, her father's laughing eyes, and at his side, her own face glaring disapprovingly at the others.

"It is…I don't…," Arwen was so choked by emotion she found herself unable to speak.

Eruanna blinked back her own tears. She'd spent months working on those illustrations. She began the very day Arwen returned to Imladris and announced she would not be sailing.

Eruanna threw her arms around her sister and held her close. "When you feel homesick for us you have merely to turn the pages."

"There are no words…," was all Arwen managed to say.

"None are needed," Eruanna whispered. She released the Lady but held her gaze. "I will never forget you."

Arwen took a steadying breath. "I know I've asked much of you already," she glanced briefly in the direction of her father and brothers, "but will you do me one more favor?"

Eruanna nodded.

Arwen smiled but the expression did not reach her eyes. "I shall never see my mother again," she whispered. "When last we said our goodbyes, I had no idea it would be for the last time."

Arwen's gaze flew once more to her father, now bidding the King farewell. "My mother waited an age for my father. She told me once, long ago, that she would have waited forever."

Arwen's expression grew distant for a moment, watching her father and Aragorn together. "My mother was willing to wait forever for love, and I have sacrificed forever for it." She turned back to Eruanna then, hoping the elleth would understand what words could scarcely convey. "Will you tell her this? I want her to understand."

Eruanna took hold of her sister's hands, "It is love, Arwen. She will understand."


	45. The stars in Valinor

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 44 – The stars in Valinor**

**Third Age 3021**

The remaining travelers rode north shadowed by the mountains. The night before the two elven companies would part ways, Eruanna made her way across the encampment to call upon the Lord and Lady of Lórien. She found them, ever together, seated slightly apart from the greater company who sang and danced around the bonfire.

"My Lord, Lady," Eruanna bowed politely.

"Eruanna," Galadriel acknowledged the elleth with a nod.

The silver Lord smiled, his eyes widened with feigned curiosity, "What can we do for you, child?"

Eruanna returned Celeborn's smile. She had no doubt the Lord knew exactly why she'd sought them out. "I seek permission to join your company, Lord Celeborn, and dwell in Lothlórien for a time."

Celeborn was not at all surprised by the elleth's request. In fact, he'd been waiting for her to come and see him. He needed no extraordinary power to see into this child's heart. "I take it Lord Erestor is finally willing to part with you for more than a year."

Eruanna's eyes shined with laughter. Lord Celeborn knew her father well. "It is all part of his master plan," she told him with a grin.

"And what might this grand scheme of his be, I wonder?" Celeborn mused, dramatically.

Eruanna laughed at the mischievous expression that graced the ancient ellon's face. She lowered her voice as if sharing some great confidence. "He plans to guilt Rumil into joining Elrond's house once we arrive in Valinor."

Celeborn's deep laughter echoed through the wood. It was just the type of devious strategizing he'd come to expect from Elrond's High Counselor. "Well, I wouldn't want to be responsible for thwarting Erestor," the Lord's eyes shone with mirth. "We will be pleased to have your company on the journey to Lórien."

"Thank you," Eruanna beamed, "Thank you both," she added with a glance toward Galadriel. Eruanna bowed deeply before taking her leave of the couple.

The Lord of Lórien followed the elleth as she made her way to the fire circle and took a seat between his grandsons. The twins suffered, he knew, at the loss of their sister, and had grown ever more protective of Eruanna to compensate. But they loved Rumil as a brother, and dwelling for a time in Lórien was not the same as remaining in Middle Earth forever.

_No, they will not give Rumil too difficult a time. _

Celeborn smiled at the thought of his foster son. With so many partings, his heart lifted at the thought of this happy reunion.

"Rumil will be overjoyed." When Galadriel failed to echo his sentiment, Celeborn turned, only to find his wife had slipped away unnoticed.

* * *

Eruanna could barely contain her eagerness as they drew nearer to the Golden Wood. Elrohir and Elladan's company did little to distract her, though their attempts to entertain her with tales of their bravery were _more_ than admirable. The road was long, but the most trying part of the journey was yet to come-their arrival. It was the stringent formality of the proceedings that irritated her the most. The bowing, the curtseying, the formal words of welcome-mostly directed at the Lord and Lady and the twin sons of Elrond. All she wanted to do was see Rumil but she had to play the proper Lady and wait! She felt like such a child, chiding herself silently to be still. She looked about anxiously, doing her best not to let her impatience show by tapping her foot or huffing during the overlong pleasantries.

Rumil wasn't anywhere to be seen. Not that she expected him to shirk his duties for her…Haldir would never stand for it. And besides, he had no idea she was coming. She'd wanted it to be a surprise.

She watched as Haldir clasped hands with the last of the accompanying Lords and offered the entire party an official welcome to enter the Woods, and with that, the crowd broke into a merry chatter that signaled the end of the ceremony.

Eruanna practically ran across the space that separated her from Haldir and by the time she reached his side, Orophin had appeared from the shadows of the wood behind him.

She called out to the pair as she approached. "Haldir! Orophin!"

The brothers turned at the sound of her voice and Eruanna smiled brightly upon them. Her impatience got the better of her as she bypassed any greeting in favor of the question that moved her, "Where is Rumil?"

Eruanna's eyes were so lit with the light of joy that she did not see the cloud that descended upon the ellyn at her approach. She stood, looking from one to the other, but Orophin would not meet her eyes and Haldir's mask of control crumbled swiftly before her.

"Haldir?" Eruanna's voice trembled at the sight of the stoic warrior's eyes filling with tears. Her mind went numb. _It cannot be!_ "No," she whispered, stepping away from the pain in his eyes.

"Eruanna," Haldir reached out to the elleth.

Eruanna shut her eyes against him, against Haldir's tears and Orophin's downcast eyes, "No."

"He fell," Orophin whispered, his own tears forcing their way free.

Eruanna swayed but Haldir took hold of her arms, supporting her before her legs gave way.

"No," she shook her head violently, still refusing to open her eyes. "No. You are lying. You are lying!" Eruanna's clenched fists struck the Marchwarden's chest. He did not try to stop her attack but pulled her close and she collapsed in his arms.

Haldir sunk to the ground, cradling the weeping elleth against his chest. The sound of Eruanna's cries drew the entire crowd to attention. Whispers of what fate befell Rumil could be heard making their way through the crowd.

Elrohir rushed to Eruanna's side the moment he heard her scream. His eyes moved from Haldir and Eruanna to Orophin. There was only one thing that could explain the sight before him but his heart refused to believe. His eyes locked with Orophin's, "What happened?"

Orophin wiped away his own tears with the hem of his sleeve, unable to answer for a moment. Elladan now stood at his brother's side, an identical expression of shock and concern painted across his face.

Orophin spoke in a low voice so that only the young Lords could hear. "He fell, on the northern border." His voice trembled slightly and was laced with despair when he added, "It was only a small skirmish. The war was already won."

Orophin's eyes returned to his brother and Eruanna. The entire company now stared at the weeping couple, though in truth, most eyes were fixed upon Haldir. Few present had ever seen the Marchwarden cry and it was, for them, a terrifying sight to behold. Haldir rocked the elleth gently in his arms, her head resting beneath his chin. He whispered softly to Eruanna, words only Orophin and the twin Lords were close enough to hear.

"Forgive me," he cried, "I could not save him. I could not save him."

* * *

"Rumil!" Haldir shouted upon spotting his youngest brother lying on the forest floor. Without care for his own safety or what orcs may be left hiding among the trees, he ran to the fallen ellon and dropped to his knees beside him.

"Rumil," Haldir's voice trembled at the ghastly wound that lay across his brother's abdomen and the pool of blood surrounding him. He turned quickly to the young warden that followed in his wake. "Fetch Arandur, now!" he commanded, and the warden was off, vanishing instantly into the trees.

"Too late," was Rumil's choked response.

Haldir looked down to find his brother's pale face staring up at him. "Do not say that, brother," Haldir's voice trembled as he lifted the younger ellon's head onto his lap. "It is only a scratch. You will be fine." _He had to be fine. He just had to be!_

"I know," Rumil smiled gently in reply, but his eyes moved beyond the Marchwarden to the night sky. Oromë's belt shone down upon him. "I will be with him soon, watching over you," he whispered softly.

Haldir followed the direction of his brother's gaze, but unlike Rumil, no smile graced his lips at the sight of those stars. "No, _no_, Arandur will be here any moment."

Rumil's gaze returned to his brother who clutched desperately at his hand. Rumil attempted to give it a comforting squeeze but a spasm took him and when he coughed, blood poured from his mouth and nose.

When the fit passed, the lines of Rumil's face softened. "You will have to be the beautiful brother now," he told Haldir, despite the expression of horror that currently twisted the Marchwarden's face.

"I cannot, I cannot…," Haldir shook his head, refusing to accept any words of parting from Rumil.

"Alright," Rumil said, a small smile curling the edge of his mouth, "Orophin then."

Rumil's playful words shattered Haldir's fragile calm. "You must not leave us, Rumil. You have to stay with me!" Haldir's grip on Rumil tightened, as though he could will his brother to obey his command. Haldir held his brother's eyes, such gentle, soulful eyes, so much like….

Without warning a memory surfaced, one Haldir ever forbid himself to loose from the dark recesses of his mind. He was in another field, another battle and another ellon, so like this one, lay dying in his arms. Haldir spoke such words once before, on the day their father died, and like their father, Rumil lacked the strength to obey. His eyes grew cloudier with each moment that passed. _'Not again!'_ Haldir's heart cried to the heavens, _'Oh, please Valar, not again!' _

"Always…with you," Rumil breathed, and then, as though he'd heard his brother's silent prayer, "I will tell adar… what a great… warrior… you have become… I will tell him…."

"Rumil," it was a plea, a last desperate plea for him to hold on, but Rumil's gaze was drawn once more to the stars.

Rumil watched the tiny lights grow brighter and brighter. They merged into one, as if the day had dawned and he stared straight at the sun, "Patient…must be…patient…," he whispered.

The sound of footfalls caused Haldir's head to rise and he saw the healer emerge from the wood. "Arandur, hurry!" he shouted, but a sudden jerk caused him to look down to his brother.

Rumil pulled forcefully on the neck of Haldir's tunic with the last strength his body possessed. He spoke then, one final time. "Eruanna," he gasped, drawing breath before the flood overtook him, "tell her… Haldir… tell her…the stars… are different… in Valinor."

"Rumil…no, no, no, no, no! Don't leave! Rumil!" Haldir screamed as Rumil released his final breath and the trees that drank his immortal blood echoed the cry.


	46. Choices

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 45 - Choices**

** Third Age 3021  
**

Elrohir watched from the shadows for some time before making his presence known. She just sat there, staring at the headstones, her stillness reminiscent of the marble statuary, unmoving, unseeing, beneath the glittering starlight.

"Eruanna," he called gently, emerging from the shadows of the trees.

When she failed to respond, Elrohir took a seat on the ground beside her. He glanced briefly at the stone tribute to Rumil. It was placed beside a much older monument, one dedicated to Rumil's father, felled by orcs many years ago.

Elrohir returned his attention to Eruanna. She did not acknowledge him but continued staring at the stone. Elrohir reached out and took her hand in his; a weak attempt at comfort. She squeezed his hand gently but did not avert her gaze.

"We can return to Imladris whenever you are ready," he whispered softly. Elrohir could not say for certain why he kept his voice so low. It might have been due to the quiet of the place, out of respect for the dead, or, more likely, the sharp pang of guilt that struck him for stealing her attention away from Rumil.

"Imladris," Eruanna droned; her voice devoid of emotion.

Elrohir exhaled deeply, the sound of Eruanna's voice reassured him some. She was still in there, somewhere. _Of course she is, where else would she be?_

"Is there somewhere else you would rather go?" Elrohir squeezed her hand gently, hoping to keep her talking. He would take her anywhere she wanted, back to Gondor, to Mirkwood, even across the sea.

Eruanna reached out her free hand and ran her fingers across the stone's inscription. "With him," she breathed, "I wish to go with him." She turned her head to Elrohir, her eyes full of anger, their former grief washed away with so many tears, "But I will not fade, will I?"

"No." No, she would not fade, anymore than Elrohir could when he lost his mother. It was the mortal blood. It was too strong. There was no escape from grief for the half-elven.

_No escape._

"Why now?" the anger flared in Eruanna's eyes and seeped into the timbre of her voice "Why would the Valar take him now, when the war is won?"

Elrohir fell silent. He had no answer, or, no answer he cared to voice. He _wanted _to say that the Valar were cruel, that they cared not for the hearts of those who dwelled in Middle Earth and for the peredhel least of all. But there were some thoughts, even in anger, Elrohir would never reveal.

"I'm afraid," Eruanna said at last.

_Afraid?_ "Of what?"

Eruanna looked to the stone and tried not to think of the body that lay beneath it. Instead she tried to imagine his spirit in Mandos' Halls, but even that thought gave her no comfort. "I fear he will not return," she said at last.

Elrohir's brow furrowed in obvious confusion; he did not understand her meaning.

Eruanna marked the shifts of Elrohir's expression carefully. He looked so much like his father when he sat deep in thought. It was clear her companion did not understand. She took a deep breath and released it, gripping Elrohir's hand firmly when she spoke.

"I have read the great histories, Elrohir, and the lies they contain, some are subtler than others." She hesitated then, unsure of how to explain a revelation so profound no simple words could express, "Glorfindel may have been reborn, but many who died before him were yet to be released from Mandos."

Eruanna looked up at the stars remembering Rumil's words of parting, passed on to her by Haldir. "What if the World must be remade before I see him again? I don't know if I am strong enough to live forever without him."

"There is no way to know for certain," he told her, knowing full well that was not what Eruanna wanted to hear. Elrohir had never really thought about the subtleties of Elven rebirth, and Glorfindel aside, no elf in Middle Earth had ever returned from the Halls.

"No way," Eruanna sighed, but as her gaze moved to Rumil's stone her eye was caught by a soft shimmer, starlight reflected on the surface of a small pool in a clearing nearby. Eruanna's eyes grew wide.

_No way. _

She sprang to her feet in a swift motioned that startled Elrohir and the small creatures hiding in the grass. Eruanna took off at a run toward the heart of Caras Galadhon, leaving a bewildered young Lord behind.

* * *

"I've been waiting for you." Galadriel glanced briefly from the mirror to the elleth emerging from the wood. 

Eruanna caught her breath and took a moment to suppress the wave of anger that washed over her at the Lady's greeting. "Have you?" she managed to bite out through clenched teeth.

Galadriel fixed sad, tired eyes on the young elleth. The hurt and blame in those two little words cut like a knife. "Eruanna…"

"Did you see _this_ in your mirror?" Eruanna cried out, cutting the Lady off before she could speak. "Did you know he would die?"

Galadriel closed her eyes. It was as much an attempt to control her own tears as it was a shield against Eruanna's pain. "One of them," she whispered, "I knew _one_ of them would die."

_One of them? _Eruanna shuddered at the implication. She'd spent the last week wishing Rumil back to life, but wishing Haldir or Orophin had died in his place was another matter entirely. Eruanna shook her head, not wanting to wander too far down that path.

Her eyes softened measurably when they found the Lady staring down into the mirror. _How long had Galadriel known that one of Celeborn's beloved foster sons would die? _ "When did you know?"

"Before Dol Guldur," Galadriel caressed the edge of the mirror. The vision of the twin headstones had played over and over again in her dreams, but she'd been unable to read the name on the second stone. "I thought one would fall during the battle, but all three returned to us."

Eruanna moved closer to the Lady and peered over the mirror's edge. "What do you see now?"

"Nothing," Galadriel breathed and in her eyes Eruanna could see that the water's darkness was both a blessing and a curse to the Lady of Light.

"Nothing?" Eruanna had no idea that hope could be shattered with a single word.

"The mirror has grown dark," Galadriel explained, knowing full well the reason Eruanna sought out this place. "You hoped it would give you answers."

"I hoped to see my destiny. I thought it was with Rumil, but now…," Eruanna didn't know what to do. She felt lost, cast adrift upon the silent water, not knowing if she should swim to one shore or the other or simply permit its currents carry her away.

"You would have followed him to Valinor." It was not a question. Galadriel's power may have diminished with the destruction of the Ring, but she still had ages of experience to draw on.

Eruanna nodded but she was not prepared for the question that followed.

"And if there had been no Rumil?" Galadriel asked.

Eruanna's eyes shot to the Lady's unreadable face. She opened her mouth to speak but could not find an answer.

The Lady's words echoed the cause of her silence. "Is that not what frightens you most of all, that perhaps you were merely _following_ him?"

"I have no reason to stay here."

Galadriel's fixed Eruanna with a firm gaze, "You know that isn't true. You enjoyed your time in the White City. With knowledge and beauty unmatched by any mortal, you would be exalted among Men. There is much you could teach them, much you could do to bring the wisdom of the West back to the people of Gondor. Is _that _not a reason to remain?"

"What are you doing?" there was accusation in Eruanna's voice.

_What _was_ she doing? _Galadriel's mouth twisted into a small frown. "I am merely pointing out that you have a choice. It did not vanish the moment you met Rumil and it remains now he has departed."

Galadriel turned away from the mirror and glided smoothly across the glade. "There is no mirror to guide you. You must look inside yourself to find where your destiny lies."

Eruanna followed the Lady as she ascended the stairs and disappeared from sight. The only sound remaining in the small glade was the rustling of leaves and the trickling of water as it gathered in the small pool. She stared at the glittering falls trying desperately to forget Galadriel's words. Her attention shifted to the mirror. She stepped closer and looked down into its calm surface. Only her reflection stared back, angry eyes seeking answers, but the water refused to speak.

_Why shouldn't I sail? There is nothing for me here!_

But even as the words formed in Eruanna's mind, her reflection called them lies.

Eruanna thought back to her time in the White City, to its strangeness and allure. True, she cared little for its court, but the libraries, they were _massive_ and in desperate need of a loremaster's care.

The books were tempting,_ and so were the children… _

Eruanna had never seen so many children in her entire life and while she'd done her level best to avoid the courtiers, their children were another matter entirely. Word spread quickly of her skill at storytelling. Every afternoon Eruanna found herself surrounded by a sea of eager young faces gazing up at her. At first, the size and enthusiasm of her audience was overwhelming, but by the third day she came to look forward to afternoons with the children.

By the end of the visit, her audience included not _only_ children but other members of the court as well - wise counselors and scholars alike. They would linger after the tale was done to verify a fact or argue a point of history. It was stimulating. The sophic Men of Gondor respected her as a being of age and wisdom. In Middle Earth, among Men, she would be a Lady of high renown.

_But in Valinor…what regard will I find in Valinor? _

It was not pride or vanity that drew this thought from the recesses of Eruanna's soul. If she were only an elleth of common birth there would be no cause for such concern. She would merely be one grain of sand among many. But she was no mere elleth-she was peredhel.

_What will the Elves in Valinor think of me? _

True, she would not be the only half-elf in the West. Elrond will be there with his mother and father – peredhil born of great houses that changed the courses of history. Such deeds would surely redeem their mortal blood, but for Eruanna, no counterbalance existed.

There were other matters to consider as well. Eruanna had not forgotten her mother and, though it pained her to admit it, she still harbored fear that Irimë would be better off without her. But she missed Haldor and Ithilwen terribly and longed to see them both again. What would they think of her if they waited all these years and she never came?

And what of Arwen? How difficult her choice, to live and die alone among Men. If Eruanna remained behind, neither would have to die alone. It was a thought as terrifying to Eruanna as it was comforting.

Yet, there were promises she'd made, promises to watch over Elrond, comfort Celebrían, and admonish the twins at need. Eruanna doubted, however, that her presence or absence would make any difference at all in the Music of their lives and there was still no certainty that Elrohir and Elladan would sail, for they refused, even now, to speak of their decision.

Erestor...she'd promised him he would never lose her. Could she break such a promise now, after all the love he'd shown her? Would he hate her forever? Would she condemn _him _to fade from grief? Eruanna loved her adar and didn't know if she could bear to be parted from him forever.

Rumil…her eyes filled with tears at the thought of him. Would he ever come back? If he did, and she was not in Valinor waiting for him, would _he_ fade from grief? If there was even the slightest possibility that her choice could condemn Rumil or Erestor to death, did she really _have_ a choice?

Eruanna exhaled deeply and, taking one last look into the mirror, turned away from her reflection and the calm, silent waters. There were no answers to be found in the mirror's depths, they could only be found within her own.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ One chapter left. It'll be a fairly long one with what I hope will be a somewhat satisfying ending. I've also started a Forum section where I'll post commentary and answer any questions you have about this story. _


	47. The White Shores

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Chapter 45 – The White Shores**

**Third Age**

**September 29, 3021**

The waters stretched out to eternity.

Eruanna's hair and the hem of her dress danced in the breeze. She could hear the gulls crying and the roar of the waves as they kissed the shore in a rhythmic dance. The melody cried out to the depths of her soul. Its power was overwhelming.

Eruanna swayed slightly on her feet. She reached out for support and a strong hand took hold of her arm.

"Are you alright?"

Elrond's voice sounded far away. Eruanna could not recall how long they'd stood there together by the shore.

"I feel it," she whispered, not knowing if he could hear her above the din.

"The sea," he smiled slightly. He'd forgotten what it was like the first time.

"It calls to me," Eruanna lifted her eyes to Elrond's face. There was so much about the ancient Lord she would never understand. She knew he suffered from the longing…suffered for years, "How did you endure it?"

_How?_ Elrond could not rightly say. He looked out across the sun-speckled water. The light danced upon its surface, shimmering, laughing. The waters, now, held a promise of peace. No sharp stab of pain. No aching heart. Mere months ago he would have been unable to bear this glorious sight; the pain and desire the sea kindled in him, the power he'd fought for so long.

"I made a promise, once, long ago," he said in answer.

"_Not all of Morgoth's creatures were defeated. The Shadow will rise again." _

"_Perhaps," replied a voice a shade deeper than the first._

"_I will not be here to watch over them," Elros' eyes rested on a pair of mortal children playing together in the sand. They awaited the ships that would carry them to Númenor. "My children will be as the children of Men, as I am now. I will not live to see them flourish."_

"_It was your choice,"__the words had a bitter taste._

"_Will you watch over them-for me?"_

"_Men are not my concern," the sharp reply could not hide the pain in Elrond's voice._

"_My blood will flow within them, brother, and your blood as well. As long as they walk in this world, I will live on."_

_Elrond was silent a long time. He looked out across the sea towards Valinor and the isle made for Men. Despite his best efforts, he could not block out the laughter of the mortal children at play. Elros' children would be as fragile as these, and as fleeting. "I will watch over them in your stead, brother," he said at last, "until the Shadow is defeated or the world is at last remade."_

And now, his promise kept, Elrond could finally give in. It was not a defeat, as some of the Eldar considered it, but a willing surrender to the will of Ilúvatar. It was the easiest decision the great Peredhel Lord had ever made.

Elrond tucked Eruanna's arm in his, offering her the same support her quiet presence gave him. "Come," he said, "the ship awaits."

* * *

Eruanna and Marilla walked arm in arm, passing time while the ship was loaded. The elves carried surprisingly little for a people who'd lived for many ages. The greater part of Elrond's house - the books, tapestries and heirlooms of the great houses were sent ahead long ago. Even Lady Galadriel brought only a few relics from her life in Middle Earth. 

Eruanna's own anxiety lessened each time Marilla twittered nervously about life in Valinor. There was comfort to be had in listening to the chatter of other wood-elves. They were as fearful as Eruanna about the life that was to come.

_Will we dark elves be treated kindly by the elves born in Valinor? _

_Will the Valar embrace us and teach us as in ages past? _

Such were questions oft asked by the elves that accompanied Elrond and Galadriel.

And so, Eruanna listened kindly to Marilla, smiling and nodding when appropriate. Her gaze, however, wandered across the water and the elegant ship to the pier where many had gathered for the journey or to bid others farewell. Elrond and Galadriel stood a ways away, lost in conversation with Lord Círdan. They would board last, as was the custom. The wizard Gandalf was assisting Masters Bilbo and Frodo and Erestor was busy organizing the food and lodging for the journey ahead.

Eruanna soaked up every last detail of the city. She wanted to remember it all; the elegant towers, the beautiful sculptures and the sights and sounds of the elves leaving Middle Earth.

It was for this reason that Eruanna was the first to see him.

A tall hooded figure dressed in robes of the Haradrim approached the dock. It was obvious, even to half-elven eyes, that the being who drew near was not Man. His movements were far too precise, too powerful. It was an elf, no doubt, but something about him beyond the strangeness of his attire caused others to draw back as he passed.

No one said a word as the ellon walked up to the Lord of Mithlond as though they were old friends. He lowered his hood in one smooth motion, revealing a long mane of ebony hair and a face as young and fair as any that graced this shore. Eruanna watched the ancient shipwright's expression morph from mild curiosity to shock. Elrond and Galadriel were likewise startled by the vision of the ellon unveiled. Elrond clasped the Lady's arm tightly and she laid her hand upon his. It seemed to Eruanna that both sought proof they were not dreaming.

"Is there room for one more passenger, my Lord?" the ellon asked with downcast eyes. The voice was softly musical but laced with a surprising amount of fear.

Eruanna wondered if the ancient Lord had forgotten how to speak. It took several moments for Círdan to answer. "Of course," he said at last, "there is always room for one more."

The ellon bowed low to Círdan and then shifted his gaze to Elrond and Galadriel. He locked eyes with each of them in turn, placed a hand upon his heart and bowed before embarking.

A murmur arose as the ellon disappeared into the ship. Elves turned to their neighbors for explanation of the scene they'd just witnessed. Eruanna, however, continued to watch Elrond, the Lady and the Sindar Lord. Their troubled eyes held more answers than the gathered masses possessed.

* * *

Eruanna made her way uneasily along the length of the ship. She was not as sure of her footing on water as on land and she worried for spilling the contents of the bowl she carried. She stopped, finally, at a line of benches where one of the hobbits was reading. The halfling was not the cause of her stillness but rather the sound of a voice lifted in song. 

A dark haired ellon stood at the stern, looking out over the sea towards Middle Earth. Eruanna could neither recall a voice more captivating nor a song so leaden with grief. It was composed in Quenya and spoke of a sadness more powerful then Eruanna had ever known.

"Who is he?" the hobbit asked her.

Eruanna looked thoughtfully upon Frodo Baggins before deciding on a response.

"I don't know."

It wasn't exactly a lie. Eruanna did not know the ellon who sailed with them now, but she had seen his face before. His image was captured by another artist's brush. Lord Erestor, Loremaster of Imladris had a great memory for detail, and the sight of this fair being bathed in blood was an image not easily forgotten.

"Are you going to ask him?" Frodo eyed the bowl of food hungrily, hoping perhaps that Eruanna would abandon courage and offer him the meal instead.

Eruanna did not answer. Instead, she moved closer to the figure and waited in silence until the song came to end. She approached him then, consciously allowing her footfalls to sound upon the deck. The ellon turned around before she came close enough to do him harm.

Piercing blue eyes halted her in mid-stride. There were more emotions within them then she could identify, though some were clear as the night sky…sadness, curiosity, suspicion.

Eruanna met his gaze evenly. "You have a beautiful voice."

A flash of surprise lit the ellon's eyes. He'd not expected kind words from her lips. "Thank you," he replied in a carefully measured tone.

Eruanna held out the bowl towards him. "You did not join us for dinner," she said by way of explanation, "so I brought you something to eat."

Again the ellon's eyes showed a mix of conflicting emotions. He seemed to watch her for signs of deception, some touch of malice in her eyes. Finding none, he took the bowl from her hand and assessed its content.

His eyes softened measurably. "You are very kind," he whispered.

The ellon's voice contained gratitude in a measure far greater than Eruanna thought she deserved. She shook her head. "It is only lembas and some dried fruit."

He lifted his eyes to her once more and Eruanna was acutely aware that the ellon was making a careful study of her face. It was unsettling, but she allowed it and tried hard not to show her discomfort. After a time, he spoke again.

"Are you Elrond's daughter?"

The surprise on Eruanna's face was probably answer enough but it was followed quickly by a burst of laughter she could not contain. No one had ever before mistaken her for Arwen Undómiel - fair Lúthien reborn.

"No," she answered, at last gaining control of her mirth, "but I was raised in his house. His daughter chose to remain in Middle Earth. She married the King of Gondor. "

Eruanna's laughter and gentle smile seemed to put the ellon at ease. His lips curled slightly in amusement. "Forgive me, you merely…you are like him."

Eruanna confirmed his statement with a small nod. It was an obvious mistake, now that she thought about it. There were only two Peredhel on board this ship and no one would mistake them for husband and wife. There was a moment of prolonged silence where neither was certain what to say. By Elven custom, they were both quite rude for not offering a name. But somehow, Eruanna could not bring herself to ask for his.

"What is your name, child?" the ellon asked before Eruanna could find courage to do the same.

"Eruanna!" a deep voice snapped before she had the chance to respond. Eruanna spun on her heels at the sound of Erestor's raised voice. She could see anger in his eyes and in the lines of his face, but it was not directed at her. Erestor looked right past her, his eyes fixed on the singer's face.

"Marilla needs your help below," Erestor told her, without averting his gaze.

Eruanna knew a dismissal when she heard one and was not foolish enough to argue now. "Yes, of course. Good evening," she added, before making her escape.

Erestor listened to Eruanna's retreating footsteps. He knew she'd be here, out of kindness or curiosity - probably both. He tried to suppress the anger that boiled just beneath the surface at the sight of this ellon, more out of fear of himself, than for any other reason. He knew the ancient one could see it, the violence so near to breaking free. It took ages of control for Erestor to calm the fury that threatened to overcome him, and with a great demonstration of will, he turned away from the source of his nightmares. He took two steps along the path of Eruanna's retreat but the thought of his child in this monster's company brought him to a halt. He did not turn, but spoke loud enough for the ellon to hear.

"Keep your distance, kinslayer."

It was both a threat and a promise… and Erestor's demon understood him well.

* * *

A large crowd had gathered to greet them. There were so many faces she'd never seen, plants and animals that were strange and foreign. But the lines of the city that stretched out in the distance were quite familiar. It was a great city of elves and its inhabitants welcomed them with open arms. 

Eruanna clung to Erestor tightly as they weaved their way through the crowd. Left and right were families gathered, holding each other in mutual embraces. Eruanna was too small to see across the distance. Only Erestor's guiding hand kept her from losing her way.

"Eruanna!" a familiar voice cried out across the throng.

Erestor, tall enough to see over much of the crowd, led her to its source. They were nearly to the stone path when she saw two familiar faces. Eruanna had no idea how much she'd missed them until that moment. She released her hold on Erestor, and like a child, ran straight into their arms.

Haldor and Ithilwen held onto her as if they would never let go and Eruanna did the same. Tears of joy flowed freely down their cheeks.

"Let me look at you," Ithilwen clasped Eruanna's face, raining it with kisses. "You look so beautiful, so grown up, doesn't she Haldor?"

"She does," Haldor pulled Eruanna into his arms and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I am sorry we could not stay with you, child, but we are together now."

"All of us," Ithilwen added, turning her attention to another elleth who stood a few paces away.

Eruanna's heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. She'd always tried to imagine what her mother looked like, what features they might share. She'd secretly feared they would not resemble each other at all, but for Eruanna, seeing Irimë for the first time was like looking at brighter reflection of herself. They shared the same finely sculpted features, the same warm, intelligent eyes, but there was no doubt Irimë was an elf. She was taller than Eruanna and her hair and skin a shade lighter. She seemed to glow like the sun. Eruanna was not so fair or bright but it bothered her not. She recalled Aragorn's words as he spoke of the stars. Irimë and her daughter might shine at different intensities, but they were both beautiful to behold.

"Naneth?" Eruanna took two hesitant steps closer to the elleth.

Irimë nodded, unable to speak for the lump in her throat. She reached out her arms to the child she'd never known.

Eruanna's long lived fear vanished as though it had never been. She rushed into the elleth's arms and mother and daughter wept tears of joy.

"My baby, my baby," were the only words Irimë spoke as she stroked the smaller elleth's long hair.

They clung to each other for a long time before Irimë drew back. She lifted a hand and with delicate fingers traced the lines of Eruanna's face, committing it to memory. "I'm so glad you came," she said.

"So am I," Eruanna's smile shined like the sun. She hugged Haldor and Ithilwen again before realizing someone was missing.

"Erestor?" she looked back toward the crowd. "Where did he…," she spotted him some distance away heading back toward the ship. "Ada!" she cried, before running to catch him.

Erestor's heart broke at Eruanna's tender reunion with her mother. It was, for him, a double edged sword. He'd always prayed Eruanna would know her mother's love, but now that his prayer was answered, she was not_ his _child anymore. It was obvious in the way Eruanna clung to Irimë that she did not need him. She had her mother now and her blood kin. Erestor forced back his own tears before they could escape him. He turned and walked away. Erestor always knew the day would come when he would have to give Eruanna back.

He was halfway through the crowd when he heard Eruanna's voice calling out to him. He turned around just as Eruanna reached him. She took his arm and pulled him back in the opposite direction.

"Where are you going? You haven't met my naneth."

Erestor tried to maintain his composure, but it was not easy with Eruanna's eyes upon him. "I thought you should be with your family," he looked past her toward the three edhil who watched from afar.

Guilt struck Eruanna hard at the sadness she saw in Erestor's eyes. She'd been so wrapped up in her own fear that she'd not considered Erestor's feelings. She'd forgotten how well the old ellon could hide his insecurities when he wished. That he revealed them to her at all spoke much of the love he felt for her.

"You_ are _my family," she wrapped her arms around his chest as tightly as she'd done with her grandparents and Irimë, "please, come back."

A great wave of emotion swept through him with those simple words. They told him the only thing that mattered - he would not lose his daughter. Erestor wrapped Eruanna in his arms and held her until the world felt right again. When he looked down into her face she smiled and then took up his hand to lead him.

Erestor followed Eruanna through the crowd until he stood before Eruanna's grandparents. He'd met them once before, during their stay in Imladris. "Haldor, Ithilwen," he clasped their hands in greeting before turning to the elleth in their company.

Eruanna already stood by her side.

"Naneth," she said, by way of introduction, "this is Lord Erestor, high counselor to Elrond of Imladris. He is…," Eruanna stopped then, unable to speak the word she'd used only moments ago.

"Your adar," Irimë finished the sentence for her and reached out to clasp Erestor's hand.

The elleth smiled kindly up at him. It was a smile Erestor knew very well.

"Thank you for taking care of her," Irimë placed a kiss on Erestor's cheek.

Erestor's gaze shifted to Eruanna before returning to her mother. "She has been a blessing, a gift."

Haldor laid a kindly hand on Erestor's shoulder, and looked to Eruanna, "Would you both like to join us at the celebration feast?"

"I do not wish to intrude," Erestor said.

"Nonsense, you are family now, my Lord," Ithilwen answered.

"_Erestor_, please," he smiled in return, "and, thank you."

The crowd of elves was already beginning to disband by the time Erestor became acquainted with Eruanna's family. Groups of twos and threes began making their way to the city and the great celebration fete that awaited them. Eruanna listened to the chatter of the elves and answered the many questions posed by loved ones. When they reached the top of the hill overlooking the sea Eruanna cast one last glance at the ship. The dark haired ellon with the beautiful voice was the last to disembark. He drew down his hood before taking a different path, one that led into the heart of Valinor.

"Are you coming, Eruanna?" Irimë called to her daughter from further down the road.

"Yes," she called back to her mother and when she looked again to the great ship, the ellon was nowhere in sight.

Eruanna turned away from the sea, her sight fixed on the elven city and the long road ahead. The great mysteries of this new world beckoned her forward.

And she was unafraid.


	48. Epilogue: Maglor

_**Disclaimer**__: I own nothing but the OC's and the plot, everything else belongs to Tolkien and those who currently own the rights to his work._

**Epilogue – Maglor**

_They wonder how I came to be here, sitting on this ship, sailing with them into the West. They are all wondering…Elrond and Artanis, the Maia Olórin, the young edhil who do not know my name, even the little hobbits… _

_After all these years, it was the call of the sea that drew me back. I can no longer resist its power. I have dreaded this day for many ages, but it was not for fear of the Valar that I stayed away. I feared the others…the countless, nameless victims of my father's pride…and the blade I carried in his name. _

_Son of Fëanor… there was a time that epithet was one of honor. _

_How low our house has fallen! _

_Our house…I am the only one now, the only one for a terrible long count of years. There was my brother's son, too, for a time, but Eregion fell millennia ago. I heard the tale. I have ears, don't I? They have always served me well. _

_The old ones cast sidelong glances in my direction and I can see it in their eyes. They thought I abandoned the world, faded from my grief, but I could not. Mandos is filled with the fëar of elves cut down by my sword… and I was not ready to join them. _

_Elrond has yet to speak to me. Our eyes meet and I see in them many questions. There is much to say, but neither of us has found the courage to begin. He looks much older than when I last saw him. Small lines run from the corners of his eyes and lips. Those grey orbs speak loudly of pain and I find myself wishing to reach out to him. Would he accept comfort from me? I do not know. _

_Artanis… I thought she might faint when she first caught sight of me. I have heard many whispers of her through the ages…the Elf Witch of Lórien, the Lady of Light, Galadriel…my beautiful cousin. You were the only one with courage enough to defy my father. How I wished for your strength! _

_I still do. _

_I let pretty lies and blind loyalties bind my tongue, force my hand. I should have spoken, for the gift of speech and song was mine. A wasted gift, so it would seem. I held my tongue and learned well the price to be paid for silence. I led my people to their doom and in the end, only I remained, left to wander the world alone. _

_It was a fitting punishment, more than fitting. _

_After centuries filled with blood and tears unnumbered I had no honor left, no emotion, save for hate. I hated our enemies, and myself, and the jewels most of all. I cast the last into the sea. How many times had I dreamed of their destruction, praying they would crumble to dust so I would at last be set free? _

_I cast the Silmaril into the sea, but the fire that scorched me did not cease. _

_I feel it still, at this very moment, a terrible burning. I wandered to the ends of the Earth and back again, trying to escape the pain, but the Valar showed me no mercy._

_I deserve none. _

_But I am here now. I am here and they will have to rewrite the books. They will have to change my ending. But who shall write the next chapter? I know not._

_I know only that the elves I cut down will each in their turn be reborn. I will be forced to meet them again and again, seeking forgiveness for deeds that cannot be undone. I waited as long as I could, but time has finally caught up with me. The curse Namo laid upon the Noldor has come true. I can no longer resist the call, and so I will have to face them again, the elves of Alqualondë, of Doriath and of Sirion. They wait for me across the sea, and I tremble in terror at their judgment._

_I do not know how I will be received when this ship reaches the White Shores, if shackles and punishment and the Great Darkness await me. I have only to wait and see, and I will not wait long. I can hear a gull crying. It circles overhead. Land rises from the mist. I have returned to the land of my birth. May it forgive me! _

FIN

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_**Author's Note:**__ 1.5 years of my life went into this work. If you made it this far, I guess that means you enjoyed it. PLEASE, if you took the time to read, take five more minutes to leave a review and let me know what you thought of the completed work. Also, feel free to post questions on my Forums. _

_This story is the first piece in my series **Tales of the Elves**. Check out my author page for chronology. _


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